Reps makes U-turn, adopts Senate version on transmission of election results

Despite public outcry, the House of Representatives has rescinded its earlier decision on real-time transmission of election results and adopted the Senate version.

The House had approved a mandatory real-time transmission of election results through the IREV portal under clause 60 (c) of the Electoral Act amendment bill, but the Senate approved electronic transmission with a caveat.

According to the Senate position, “Results shall be transmitted electronically from each polling unit to the IReV after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and party agents who are available at the polling unit.

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“Provided that where the electronic transmission of results fails as a result of communication failure, the result contained in Form EC8A, signed by the presiding officer and/or countersigned by polling agents, shall, in such a case, be the primary source for collation and declaration of results.”

During consideration of the bill on Tuesday, Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker who presided over the session, put the clause to a voice vote, and a majority voted in favor.