Senator Umeh Clarifies Senate's Electoral Act Amendments Amid Public Expectations

Senator Victor Umeh of Anambra Central provided detailed clarification on the Senate's amendments to the Electoral Act during a Senate session. The Senate retained provisions for electronic transmission of election results but rejected proposals for real-time transmission and a 10-year ban on vote buyers.

Umeh explained that the decision was not a rejection of electronic transmission but a consensus reached after extensive legislative processes, public consultations, and hearings across the country. The amendments, particularly Clause 60 of the Electoral Act 2022, were unanimously supported during zonal public hearings and joint sessions organized by the National Assembly.

Umeh emphasized the importance of stakeholder agreement to avoid future legal ambiguities and disputes. The House of Representatives had already passed its version with explicit provisions for electronic transmission.

Additionally, an ad hoc committee chaired by Senator Godswil Akpabio was set up to retain the electronic transmission provisions, which were eventually agreed upon by the Senate.