The Senate has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to adhere strictly to the the 1999 Constitution as amended, Electoral Act 2022 and its guidelines in the conduct of the general elections.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja before the Senate adjourned till March 14, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, advised the electoral umpire to consider all issues raised by the public during the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections in order to have smooth conduct of the elections.
His words, “INEC should consider looking into issues raised by the public. INEC should be strictly guided by the Constitution and the Electoral Act and their guidelines and regulations.
“In the Electoral Act that we passed there is nothing like electronic transmission because transmission is when you vote and it goes to the server.
” What we have passed and I can recall this vividly because I read that Act when it was a bill several times, is to transfer.
“After all paper works that are done, the party agents, security agents and everybody will have the papers. INEC will snap or scan the result sheet and transfer or transmit. Whether it is transmit or transfer, it’s that thing that is captured with BVAS- the results.
“For me, my understanding is if any result that was captured and sent differs from something gotten somewhere, that one is illegal and only the court not us here can do something. So, we urge INEC to follow the Electoral Act and other laws and their guidelines. That’s all”.
“Nigerians should support INEC in whatever way they can, so it can conduct the governorship and states assembly elections successfully.
“This is because that is what we all expect and that is what we need as a democracy. We will be out of this place for the next two weeks and come back and continue our legislative functions”.
Our correspondent reports that the adjournment was to enable senators to participate in the campaigns and Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
