Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, said on Thursday that the consent now given to electronic transmission of election results by the Senate and is being harmonised by the joint Committee of the House of Representatives and the Upper Chamber is indeed the right way forward for the Nigerian Democracy.
Besides, George, who is also the Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, said the move also signified significant new dawn in the strengthening of the country’s young democracy.
The politician said this in a signed statement, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Lagos, in reaction to the Senate’s latest decision on the issue of electronic transmission of election results in the country.
The Senate had earlier, in its decision, opposed the move, a development which had attracted different reactions from various quarters.
George said the synergy between the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the much vexed electronic transmission of results was quite laudable, noting that the primitive manual system whereby results were physically carried often gave room for easy manipulation and the brazen distortion of the will of the people.
“The issue of electronic transmission of results which have now been approved by the Nigerian Senate and is being harmonised by the joint House and Senate Committee is indeed the right way forward for the Nigerian Democracy. It signifies significant new dawn in the strengthening of our young democracy.
“The synergy between the parliament and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the much vexed electronic transmission of results is quite laudable.
“The primitive manual system whereby results are physically carried often gives room for easy manipulation and the brazen distortion of the will of the people,” he said.
George, while throwing support for electronic transmission of poll results, further said physically carrying result sheets from polling units to the wards, the local governments and other levels of administration was not only wrong but downright untidy and cumbersome, adding that such allowed for fraud as well as the disenfranchisement of the voters.
“Physically carrying result sheets from polling units to the wards, the local governments and other levels of administration is not only wrong, it is downright untidy, cumbersome and absolute trigger for fraud and the disenfranchisement of our people,” the PDP chieftain said.
The PDP chieftain lauded the Senate’s courage for what it described as “this noble initiative,” saying the decision couldn’t have come at a better time, even as he added that it was indeed the recipe to enliven Nigerians and renew their commitment to build a greater nation.
“I salute the courage of the Senate for this noble initiative. It couldn’t have come at a better time. At a time when our people feel hapless and helpless about the continuity of our infant democracy, this is indeed the recipe to enliven us all and renew our commitment to build a greater nation,” he said.
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Electronic transmission of poll results: Senate’s approval right way forward ― Olabode George
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