The representative of Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Senator Abdul Ningi, has said that the Senate needed to vote publicly on the now controversial amendment to the Electoral Act.
He said this could be done with the public adoption of the votes and proceedings on the electronic transmission of poll results.
Ningi stated this on a Channels Television programme: “Politics Today,” on Monday amid the growing opposition to the amendment of the Electoral Act by the Senate.
Asked during the interview whether it was possible for the voting process at the Senate to be made public so that Nigerians could know which senator voted for or against the real-time transmission of election results, he said: “I think it’s possible.
“It depends on the presiding officer because the law provides that.
“You can stand up and say: ‘I, Ningi, I accept e-transmission in real time.’
“I sit down.
“It’s recorded.
“Every other senator.
“And that is the only way we need to move forward.
“One thing that is very important is that the votes and proceedings have not been captured.
“So tomorrow, we need to look at what the votes and proceedings captured are.
“Is it a transfer?
“There was a motion for amendment by (Senator Mohammed Tahir) Manguno, and then the question was put.
“Who asked the question?
“Why was the question raised?
“Was it discussed?
“It is important that when you bring a motion on something that you have no idea of, one of the reasons why maybe people are not so happy is that the Senate President should have asked us as a committee: ‘Please, educate us on this issue that this Monguno has raised.’”
Ningi stated that the issue was not about one political party or the other.
He added: “I’m here, and I’m telling you with all sense of responsibility that this is not a party thing.
“It has never been seen as a party thing up to the moment we went into the committee of the whole.
“If tomorrow the Senate President decides to say: ‘Is it transfer or transmission, and the gavel was sealed on transfer, they (the majority) have their way.”
Ningi also expressed displeasure over what he described as the condemnation of the Senate “in its entirety” over the matter.
He said: “I feel so sad and outraged myself when I see the condemnation across this country condemning the Senate in its entirety.
“And that’s why for us, we need to tell the story.
“And I can tell you 98 percent of the senators are in agreement with the submission made by the House.
“I don’t know how they are trying to make it a party affair.
“I don’t think so.
“As I told you, APC governors have presented their submission, PDP…, and they are all saying e-transmission.”
