Ahhh, my people! Na wah oh! Wetin we go dey hear for Nigerian politics no fit make sense sometimes, e be like say we dey sleep for wahala. Yesterday, inside House of Representatives, opposition lawmakers carry their leg waka comot from the chamber like say dem dey pursue ghost! E be like say dem no wan hear am when dem pass the Senate version of the Electoral Act amendment bill, wahala just start.
Dem no gree chop this matter like peace, as Benjamin Kalu, wey dey preside over the matter like deputy speaker, begin discuss wetin concern electronic transmission of election results. All of a sudden, opposition members don dey shout, “APC ole!” And na so matter take turn to escalator level. Dem dey yan say some of dem don collect money, and you know as e be for Naija, when money don enter matter, na serious gbege go follow.
No long talk, as the protest continue, plenty opposition members don jam their legs waka comot from the place, leaving only the APC members inside. Dem no gree accept the Senate position wey go allow electronic transmission but still give room for manual collation in case network follow carry wahala. Dem been dey talk say before, dem go require stronger measures for real-time electronic transmission. But now, dem don coaster for where dem no wan go.
Nigerians don dey follow this matter well well because wetin we dey talk here na about how our democracy fit survive and grow. As e be, some senators, like Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, don raise mouth about this same Clause 60. E don cause plenty row inside Senate, everybody dey confusion. Akpabio, the Senate president, even come talk say that demand don already withdraw before, wetin come cause high tension for chamber. Na so wahala dey begin.
Later, wetin happen? Akpabio don call for division because plenty senators dey on different pages about how wetin we go do suppose be. After all said and done, 55 senators don pass the Senate version wey dem talk say if electronic transmission no work, dem go still rely on manual results. Wetin come be the sense for that? E mean say we still dey carry old wahala for new technology.
Now, my pipo, make we no forget the reason wey we dey talk this electoral act matter. Election dey come for February 2027, and as e go be, if we no find way settle this gbege now, e fit lead to wahala for our electoral credibility. If dem fit take electronic transmission wey fit open ground for transparency, everybody go dey flex. But the way e be now, say dem wan still give room for manual transmission e go create chance for people to scatter things.
The House don get another version wey talk say make dem maintain “in real time” rule, meaning no delay for presiding officers to upload results. Na im go ensure say anytime we count ballots for polling units, e go straight to the portal before anybody fit disrupt am with their paper. Meanwhile, Senate version dey give opportunity for manual results to take first position if anything go wrong with electronic system. This one no dey sweet at all!
The gist wey dey now be say both chambers must come together join head and agree on one version wey go make sense before this election go happen. As the committee dey waka behind closed doors to sort this matter out, we dey watch dem with our eyes like hawks. Make we just pray say dem no go mess am up! If we no fit fix this electoral process now, our democracy fit run into serious wahala. Na so dem matter dey be o! Everybody dey demand for better governance, but as usual, politicians dey make am taste like goat meat wey shine for sun!
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