Senate: Electoral Act amendment bill scales second reading

The Electoral Act Amendment Bill yesterday scaled through second reading in the Senate. Sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege (APC- Delta), the bill seeks to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accommodate new technologies in the accreditation of voters during elections. Leading the debate, Omo-Agege said that the bill was in […]

The Electoral Act Amendment Bill yesterday scaled through second reading in the Senate.

Sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege (APC- Delta), the bill seeks to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accommodate new technologies in the accreditation of voters during elections.

Leading the debate, Omo-Agege said that the bill was in fulfilment of the Legislative Agenda of the ninth senate in the area of electoral reforms.

He said the proposed law will not only strengthen the nation’s electoral process in line with global best practices but also remove the lacuna in the current electoral law.

The bill seeks the reduction of nomination fees charged by political parties and granting of party agents the right to inspect original electoral materials before the commencement of polls.

It also seeks the electoral body to suspend an election in order to allow a political party that lost its candidate before or during an election to conduct a fresh primary to elect a replacement or new candidate.

It prohibited members of political parties from taking up employment in INEC and compel the commission to publish the voters register for public scrutiny at every registration area and its website seven days before a general election among others.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the session referred the bill to the committee on INEC for further legislative input and report back in four weeks.