The Nigerian Senate and House of Reps has passed the 2021 electoral amendment act, and approves electronic transmission of results. After deliberation and hiccups, the bill was passed on Tuesday November 9, 2021.

 

The National Assembly members have been on a 3-weeks break, coming back from the recess took straight to business, harmonization the bill with the reps and giving electronic transmission of election results a go.

 
 

Before the Amendment bill 2021, was passed, the senate had set-up a 7-man conference committee to meet with members of the House of Representatives Conference Committee to harmonise the differences in the Senate and House versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

 

Presenting a report on the harmonized version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, who chaired the Conference Committee in the Senate said if the bill is assented to by the President, it would regulate the conduct of Federal, State and Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory Elections.

He added that they considered and adopted twenty-one clauses in the bill. Abdullahi said;

 
 

“It is imperative to point out that with the successful harmonization of this bill, a process that started from the 7th Assembly through to the 8th National Assembly has now been completed by the 9th National Assembly.

 
 

“The bill is now ready for passage and Presidential assent.

“I am happy to state that most of what we call “citizens top priorities” on the Electoral Act Amendment, including the use of technology have been addressed by the Electoral Bill, 2021”

 
 
 

Shortly after the Senate passed the bill, the house of representatives approved the conference committee report on the electoral act amendment bill.

 
 

Now that both chambers of the national assembly have approved the report, a copy will be produced by the clerk of the national assembly and sent to the president for assent.

 
 
 
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