…Rejects Presidential Debates Before Elections
…Blocks Electronic Voting, Rejects One Day Election
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, July 03, (THEWILL) – The Senate on Thursday passed the bill to amend the 2010 Electoral Act with far reaching alteration of the principal Act. The passage now set the tone for a possible smooth sail for the 2015 general election.
The new bill bars any move to make presidential debates mandatory before an election on the grounds that election debates should remain outside the purview of the law
However, the senators left the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the procedure for voting at any election, thus leaving the issue of electronic voting within the purview of the commission.
These were the major highlight in the bill for an act to amend the Electoral Act 2010 to provide for the tenure of office of secretary, power to issue duplicate voters card and determine voting procedure
Leading the debate on the bill, Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba( SAN) said the litmus test for a viable democratic Nigeria will be the extent to which her electoral process and laws are to promote fair, participatory and electoral participation of the electors
“if the electoral law and legislation are weak, deficient or poorly enforced, the electoral process will be easily subverted, ” he told the senators
The Senate also rejected the clause to vest the responsibility of proving the regularity of any election on INEC, it was rejected on the grounds that the burden of proof lies with the petitioner.
Also the move to empower INEC to conduct election into the office of the President, governor, Senate, House of Representatives and state assemblies on the same day was rejected
The move also to empowers INEC where a political party fails to comply with the provisions of the constitution or Electoral Act to exclude the nominated candidate of the party from the list of nominated candidates for the election was rejected
The Senate approved the provision of tenure for the Secretary of the Commission and to give INEC time to process transfer of voters and issuance of duplicate voter’s card.
The bill also seeks “To give INEC more time to conduct re-run election into area councils and to empower the executive council of an area council to remove a chairman or vice chairman on grounds of incapacity.
“To provide punishment for polling officers who conspire to make false declaration of result, to extend time for constitution of election tribunals and to prevent electoral officers from being respondents in elections petition.”
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu said the passage of the bill will ensure that the 2015 election is better than the previous elections.
“I like to congratulate all of us for now providing for INEC the necessary legislative infrastructure that will enable them to improve on the quality of electoral management in this country. We believe that with this and having helped INEC to ensure the passage of this Bill, that 2015 will be much better than the previous elections.” he said.
“I believe that if there are any other way we need to support INEC to ensure a free, fair and successful election in 2015, that this Senate and indeed the National Assembly would be more than willing to support INEC to achieve that for this country.”
The Senators passed the bill after a clause-by-clause consideration of the Electoral Act.
EMMA UCHE, ABUJA
