Federal Character
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business & Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Relationship and Life
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Health
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business & Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Relationship and Life
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Health
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Federal Character
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Transmission of election results: common sense finally prevailed

Afolabi HakimbyAfolabi Hakim
October 24, 2021
in Politics
0
2023: What Options do Nigerians have?
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Whatsapp

One of the intrinsic elements of democracy is holding a free, fair, and credible election. A periodic election is what stands democracy out from other forms of government. It gives the people the power to choose who they deem fit and worthy to lead them and manage their affairs.

As with all things in Nigeria where simple things are made complicated for some vested interests to advance their diabolical and questionable motive, the idea of election in Nigeria, especially as it regards choosing people to manage public affairs, has been bastardised and corrupted.

The Nigerian electoral system can’t be said to be high up there with the near flawless and impeccable system we have in the western and developed world, but what we have here is enough for us to organise a considerably credible and transparent election. The troubles with our electoral arrangement are not a new thing, it’s a pre-independence anomaly that became a norm in post-colonial Nigeria. The political crisis and social upheaval in the western region of yore is an offshoot of electoral malpractice and pervasive rigging.

The situation became even more dispiriting and worrisome when people realise that the safest and fastest way to acquire wealth in Nigeria is through holding public offices. Also, they realise that the current arrangement makes it easy for them to subjugate the will of the people, hence no incentive or whatsoever to disrupt the status quo. Besides, why would they want to upend a system that feathers their nest?

Since returning to democratic rule in 1999, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the years has introduced different innovations which are aimed at consolidating our electoral inroads and strengthening our democracy. One of such innovations is the card reader introduced in 2015 which played a vital role in the victory of the current government. This is why many get infuriated when the Buhari government exhibits a body language that sort of scorn at every opportunity to deploy innovation and technology that will strengthen our electoral system. Many even believe that the present administration has done more in reversing our electoral and democratic gains than it’s done building on them.

So many bills have been sponsored and introduced at the national assembly to revamp Nigeria’s uninspiring electoral process, the latest is the 2021 electoral bill. During the consideration of the report on the 2010 Electoral Act ( Amendment ) Bill 2021 submitted by its Committee on INEC, the Senate had in July amended clause 52(3) as recommended.

It goes without saying that what the senate intends to achieve with such dubious amendment is to strip INEC of its power to take a unilateral decision on steps and processes it deems imperative for the conduct of free, credible, and fair elections.

The clause as presented by the committee in the report affirms that INEC can transmit election results electronically where and when practicable.

The Senate, on the one hand, had passed the amended version which says “INEC can transmit election results electronically subject to confirmation of Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, of adequacy and security of national network”.

The House of Representatives, on the other hand, had adopted the clause as originally recommended by the committees of both chambers on INEC.

Expectedly, the senate’s decisions to whittle down the power of INEC were greeted with widespread outrage and condemnation with many saying such amendments of the Committee’s original recommendations is part of an elaborate plan to rig the 2023 election. Subsequently, the two legislative chambers went on recess but the dust raised by the questionable action of the Senate refused to settle, so much so that it became a subject of public discourse for weeks on end. 

Upon its resumption, the senate last week rescinded its decision to give the power to determine the adoption of electronic transmission of election results to the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. It said it had deleted its controversial clause 52(3) of the 2021 Electoral Bill that subjected transmission of election results by INEC to NCC’s confirmation that there is adequate network and security of national network coverage.

However, basic questions that must be asked are;

What changed for the senators? What happened during their recess that made them change their position on the transmission of election results?

According to a senator, having seen the negative reactions and uproar that greeted their stance on the electoral bill, they met during their recess and had an honest, open-minded, soul-searching deliberation. The senator disclosed that it was during this meeting that common sense prevailed and they agreed that the best thing was to kowtow to the yearning of the people and take decisions that will inspire citizens’ confidence in our electoral system and deepen our relatively nascent democracy.

In the end, commonsense finally prevailed. The lawmakers, of course, knew they acted in bad faith and had to do the needful to redeem what’s left of their battered image. 

The development brought massive respite to the citizenry who felt bad by the initial move of the senators. The people eventually have their way. It shows that when a group of people are united in achieving a common goal and advancing their interests, nothing can stop them. 

Tags: ElectionsinecNCCNigeriariggingsentate. 2023 election
Afolabi Hakim

Afolabi Hakim

Afolabi Hakim is a journalist, content creator and writer. He is always on the look out for ways to broaden his knowledge spectrum and Impact people's lives positively.

Related Posts

Atiku Condemns Yelwata Killings as Benue Youths Demand Action
Politics

Atiku Condemns Yelwata Killings as Benue Youths Demand Action

June 15, 2025
APC Summit in Gombe Ends in Tension Over Shettima’s Exclusion
Politics

APC Summit in Gombe Ends in Tension Over Shettima’s Exclusion

June 15, 2025
Kenneth Okonkwo Accuses Peter Obi of Betrayal Over Abure Faction
Politics

Kenneth Okonkwo Accuses Peter Obi of Betrayal Over Abure Faction

June 14, 2025
Next Post
The beauty of ‘Iyan’ (Pounded Yam)

The beauty of ‘Iyan’ (Pounded Yam)

Old Trafford is in Ruins

Old Trafford is in Ruins

Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid: What did we learn from the latest El-clasico?

Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid: What did we learn from the latest El-clasico?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Imo: NLC goes on strike to shut down power, airspace, and other services.

Imo: NLC goes on strike to shut down power, airspace, and other services.

2 years ago
Dollar, Euro and Pounds To Naira Exchange Rate For Today, May 4 2024

Dollar, Euro and Pounds To Naira Exchange Rate For Today, May 17 2024

1 year ago
UNICEF Warns of Rising Malnutrition Issue in Northeast Nigeria

UNICEF Warns of Rising Malnutrition Issue in Northeast Nigeria

10 months ago
NCC Announces Temporary Suspension of Communications License Issuance

NCC Announces Temporary Suspension of Communications License Issuance

1 year ago

Categories

  • Beauty
  • Business & Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Government
  • Health
  • News
  • Politics
  • Relationship and Life
  • Sports
  • Tech

Topics

2023 Aboki/Bureau De Change (BDC) abuja apc Arsenal buhari Business cbn chelsea china court Dollar Efcc Election Entertainment Euro and Pounds To Naira Exchange Rate For Today exchange rates for the Nigerian Naira (NGN) Fashion federal character federal government Finance food Football Foreign News government Governor health inec Israel lagos Manchester United Naira Black Market exchange rates News Nigeria pdp police Politics president protest Russia Sports tinubu trump ukraine US
No Result
View All Result

Highlights

UK Withdraws Diplomats’ Families from Israel over Iran-Israel Tensions

Gowon Says Ojukwu’s Demand for Regional Military Control Collapsed Aburi Accord

Bright Chimezie Grateful After Davido Acknowledges His Influence On Omah Lay Collab

Tyler Perry Sued for $260M Over Sexual Assault Allegations

President Tinubu in Benue After Deadly Attacks Draw Criticism

Pastor Ighodalo Opens Up About Possibility Of Remarrying, Says ‘Time Heals’

Trending

TikTok Users Migrate to RedNote Amid Looming US Ban on Chinese App
Business & Finance

Trump Delays TikTok Sale Deadline for Third Time

bySomto Nwanolue
June 18, 2025
0

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a further 90-day extension for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S....

Austria to Allow Monitoring of Encrypted Messages

Austria to Allow Monitoring of Encrypted Messages

June 18, 2025
Meta Makes AI Searches Public

Meta’s $100M Offers Fail to Lure OpenAI Talent

June 18, 2025
UK Withdraws Diplomats’ Families from Israel over Iran-Israel Tensions

UK Withdraws Diplomats’ Families from Israel over Iran-Israel Tensions

June 18, 2025
Gowon Says Ojukwu’s Demand for Regional Military Control Collapsed Aburi Accord

Gowon Says Ojukwu’s Demand for Regional Military Control Collapsed Aburi Accord

June 18, 2025

We launched Federal Character in February 2021 based on the belief that the world is in need of smarter and more efficient reporting of events shaping our rapidly changing world. We pledged to put our audience first, always.

Recent News

  • Trump Delays TikTok Sale Deadline for Third Time
  • Austria to Allow Monitoring of Encrypted Messages
  • Meta’s $100M Offers Fail to Lure OpenAI Talent

Categories

  • Beauty
  • Business & Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Government
  • Health
  • News
  • Politics
  • Relationship and Life
  • Sports
  • Tech

© 2024 FederalCharacter.com

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business & Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Relationship and Life
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Health
  • Opinion

© 2024 Federalcharacter.com