Members of the All Progressives Congress in the House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected moves by their Peoples Democratic Party counterparts to rescind a decision to reverse the power of the Independent National Electoral Commission to deploy troops during elections.
The decision was earlier taken in the Committee of the Whole to retain Clause 29 in the proposed amendment to Section 29 (1) of the principal act.
The proposed amendment granted the Independent National Electoral Commission the exclusive powers to request for deployment of military during elections by amending Section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act.
If this amendment is signed into law, deployment of military during elections can only be done with the request from INEC.
Mover of the motion, Rep. Leo Ogor (PDP-Delta), urged the House to reconsider its earlier decision and delete Section 29 of the proposed amendment outrightly, to deny INEC the powers to request for deployment of armed forces.
Ogor said the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provided that there shall be an Armed Forces for the Federation, which functions by virtue of Section 217 (2) ©, to suppress insurrection and act in aid of civil authorities.
It is also meant to restore order when called upon to do so by the president, but subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by an act of the National Assembly.
Ogor’s position was, however, countered by the Minority Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC-Lagos), who submitted that there was no need for the motion to be read on the floor of the House.
According to Gbajabiamila, the motion has already been passed by the majority members of the House.
Speaker of the House Aminu Tambuwal, in his ruling, said he was not convinced by Ogor’s explanation.
Tambuwal explained that Order 9, Rule 57 (6) of the House stated that it could not entertain re-opening of the matter until there was proper notification to the speaker and the House.
However, when the motion was put to voice vote, there was an opposition to it, making the speaker to rule against it.
It would be recalled that the bill was referred to the Committee on Electoral Matters on July 8 for public hearing and the committee submitted its report on September 25.
The House had on September 30 granted INEC the exclusive powers to request for deployment of military during elections by amending section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act.
If the amendment is signed into law, deployment of military during elections can only be done with the request from INEC.