E-transmission: NASS’ decision, a recipe for endless crisis ― Senator Arise

Senator Ayo Arise has warned that the decision of his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the National Assembly over the rejection of the electronic transmission of results of elections in 2023, is a recipe for crisis.

Against this background, Arise called for a reversal of that decision if it’s not too late, warning that if Nigeria continues in this way, the ordinary people would have no say in the affairs of the country and that would be a recipe for crisis.

Arise described the action taken by the National Assembly, rejecting the clause on electronic transmission of results as worrisome, saying, “I am not really happy about the outcome, this particular step, we need to look at it critically. If it’s not too late, we need to revisit it.”

However, Senator Arise also chastised the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that if the PDP is in power, they would do the same thing and won’t pass the controversial clause in the electoral act.

Speaking on Arise News Morning Show, Senator Arise said the decision taken by the APC and the National Assembly on the e-transmission of the result was wrong, adding that the fact that you are in government today doesn’t mean that you know all.

He believes the decision was a temporary victory for a group of people, saying, “I personally would never be a part of such. I am really not happy about the entire outcome because these people have a date with history, you need to do what is right at the right time. This is the right time for not only electronic voting but the transmission of the results.

“I think there must be a revisit very soon and the amendment is a process, it will continue. This does not mean the end, we have not seen the end of this. Next time, maybe when a new set of people come around, they will sit down and look at it and say this is in their own interest.”

However, he said: “We should not continue to undermine this process through our action, this particular action of the National Assembly is very worrisome and I hope that the people would pick their phone and talk to their representatives. We want a future for our children, we do not want just one crop of elites or a group of people to continue to perpetuate and be the ruling class. The moment you have that in any nation, there would be a crisis.”

On the issues of tampering with the committee report, he said: “The committee system is such that ordinarily when they decide and bring it to the floor of the Senate because you have given them an assignment and these are trusted people, I believe would be able to do their work and having finished, you read it, you approve or you amend if necessary on the floor.

Also reacting to the senators who absconded from voting, the former senator said: “I think they are troubled about either way to go if it is true that there has been some directive which is the way the party wants to go. It is safer for them not to vote than to vote against their conscience.

“I am not making any excuses for people, everybody there is an accomplished person and we should be able to stand up for the people because the way it is going the ordinary person in the country, in the future, if we continue in this manner, they would have no say in the affairs of this nation and that is a recipe for the crisis that would become endless. Everybody must have equal opportunity.”

Arise, who said he was speaking as a Nigerian, declared that “if it were based on purely party issues, the PDP would do the same thing. They would not pass this thing if they were the ones in power. So, it is not something we have not seen before but it is time for some of us to start getting up and speaking to our people and talking to the government because the fact that you are in government doesn’t mean that you know all.”

He commended the achievements of the APC so far but insisted their position and decision on the electronic transmission of results was very wrong.

According to him, “I am very proud to be a member of APC from the numerous achievements, people now travel between Ibadan and Lagos by train for two hours. That is a typical example of what you can say the APC has done and so many other things. You look at the Traders’ Money, the Social Safety Net they created for the people. But haven said that I can continue to real out a number of very good policies, very good things this party has done for Nigerians, but this particular step, we need to look at it very critically.

“If it is not too late to correct that anomaly, this electronic transmission is not going to hurt anybody particularly if you work hard, and ensure you are in a democracy and you want people to vote for you; and you do not want to be a victim of such. If you don’t want to be a victim, then make sure that it is very difficult for anybody to manipulate any result after the voting.

“I am very sure it is not an APC, PDP, or APGA problem, it is a problem for the society, it is a problem of Nigeria. We need to correct it now. Yes it is my party, and I am very proud of being a member of APC for all the good things they have done and if they have done something wrong, I will still say it, and this is wrong.”

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E-transmission: NASS’ decision, a recipe for endless crisis ― Senator Arise