The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday, dismissed the media reports that the lawmakers have removed electronic transfer of election results from the Electoral Act amendment bill due for passage soon.
The Speaker was responding to an observation by a member during the Plenary session that his constituents have been calling him to demand why the lawmakers would refuse electronic transfer of election results despite popular demands for the adoption of the device during future elections in the country.
The Speaker who said he has made it a habit not to respond to every media report insisted that the Committee saddled with the responsibility of working on the Electoral Act was yet to submit its report to the House.
According to him, “I have asked the Chairman of the Committee and she told me that she was not aware of that.”
He, however, assured that the House would follow its normal procedure in considering clause by clause of the Bill before passage when the Committee submits its report.
This came just as the House mandated the Committees on Electoral Matters and Interior to investigate the root causes of the recent destruction of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices across the country
The committees which have for a week for the assignment would also investigate fire outbreaks and ascertain the level of compliance to fire safety regulations of INEC offices nationwide.
The House urged the Federal Government to provide adequate security in all the Commission officers in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the Call to Prevent Further Attacks on the Offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission Nationwide by Hon. Dachung M. Bagos ( PDP-Plateau)
According to him, “the House notes the increasing attacks on the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission across the country with the most affected states including Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Imo, Borno, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory with about 11 of the offices burnt down by hoodlums”
The was worried that in the past 24 months, at least 19 INEC offices have been gutted by fire with a ratio of one INEC office per month.
The House was concerned that if nothing is done to forestall future occurrences, there will not be adequate INEC offices to coordinate the 2023 and off-season elections in Nigeria.
It also expressed concern that no one has been arrested and prosecuted for the criminal acts.
When the motion was put into voice vote by Speaker Rep Femi Gbajabiamila who presided over the plenary, it was unanimously supported by members.
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