Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege has rejected the electronic means of transferring election results.
The Senate was on Thursday thrown into confusion over clause 52(3) of the Electoral Amendment Act which deals with electronic means of transferring results.
Whereas, Senator Kabir Gaya-led Senate Committee on INEC recommended for the transmission of results electronically by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi and Albert Akpan amended the clause that subjected it to the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) providing networks before it could be done.
The amendment was sustained, but the plenary became rowdy afterwards and for close to 40 minutes there was pandemonium which the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan forced the sitting into closed-door.
Upon resumption from the closed-door, Senate Minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, through order 73 of Senate rules, divided the chambers.
He said: “Mr Senate President, distinguished colleagues, I rise on order 73 to divide the Chambers.
“I rejected the earlier ruling by Mr. Senate President that subjected the transmission to availability of network and I want us to vote physically to see who and who voted for and against.”
The Senate President demanded for the roll call of the Senate and voting started.
As each Senator was called to vote, it was gathered that the Deputy Senate President voted against electronic voting.
He voted against electronic transmission immediately he was called by the Clerk to the Senate.
