My people, gist wey don break wey fit sure make anybody para! Naijalander Senate don finally pass Electoral Act amendment wey dey talk about how dem go handle election results for 2027. But wait first, dem don fall our hand, as dem choose to reject electronic transmission for results wey go dey flow from polling units to INEC portal; instead, dem just wan hold on to manual transfer. Wetin dey happen for this country now?
As dem drop am for ground, e be like say some people don sharply begin shout as the news spread. Many Nigerian people don vex, as this one dey show say the hope wey we gather for the integrity of our elections don waka comot. Na so the wahala don start. Some people dey fear say this matter fit cause manipulation when it time for election crossover again.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, come dey talk say, “We never reject electronic transmission; na just the ‘real-time’ dem remove.” Wetin e mean be say dem still get plan for transmission but na when option dey available, meaning if network no gree, na the old manual way dem go hold on to. But why e go be like say dem dey try confuse us? Dis na serious wahala for the trust wey wa people get for the electoral system.
For una wey no too dey follow political matters, electronic transmission mean say all results wey dem count for polling units go fit show online sharp-sharp. This go help reduce manipulation because everybody fit see as e dey happen real-time. But the shakara wey the lawmakers show now fit make people think say dem no wan make election better again. Na the link to transparency wey dem chop now!
Make we even look the backstory small. From the past elections, many, I repeat, many allegations don dey surround results manipulation during collation. Na so INEC try introduce BIMAX and IReV. Dis technology suppose allow us see results as dem dey counted. But because dem no write law wey go compel dem to use am, the whole thing turn landfill.
The whole matter dey boil down to one serious clause, 60(3) wey say presiding officers go dey electronically transmit results from polling units once dem don sign the forms. But na wetin happen now? Senate reject this clause sharp-sharp, and e dey vex many people. Some civil society wahala heads dey talk say wetin the Senate do na serious betrayal for the sake of democracy.
Big names like Samson Itodo don come out talk sey na time for de Senate to look the court judgment wey dey talk say electronic results transmission na law wey need amend. Wetin una say about this? Where this Senate dey carry us go? This no be the time to play na; 2027 elections dey call! E get right time wey dem dey need to pass this act for smooth arrangements, if not, we fit see more wahala like we see for the last elections!
Na what I go say make una gather for the corner omotola joint, as wey dey sip beer dey follow this political gist. The House of Representatives still dey hold their version for table wey dey allow electronic transmission; amidst all this argument, we go just dey wait make dem harmonize di matter. But wetin happen if we wait too long? Make we keep our ears open, as the saga dey unfold!
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