Frankly Speaking 2023: The all comers..'Taja Teran' affairs

Electronic voting:APC, change and democracy

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Since the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, came to power in 2015 and started implementing it’s Change manifesto, the public has been treated to various variants of the Change, which to some extent, is implemented based on the goals and aspirations of it’s leadership, the party and most importantly, the political preference and disposition of President Muhammad Buhari’s.
In order words,the implementation of the Change mantra is predicated on the disposition of President Buhari to the programmes based on his own personal vision, if any,and not necessarily what the populace wanted as Change.

Hence,the events of the past one week as regards the passing of the Electoral Amendment Bill is an indication of how and in what form, the Presidency and the cabal piloting the affairs of the APC want the Bill to be passed into law.
It will be recalled that like many other contentious bills before the National Assembly,the story of the Amendment of the 2010 Electoral Bill dates back to the regine of former President Goodluck Jonathan and it is on record that strainous efforts were also made during the eight assembly led by Senate President Bukola Saraki but ironically it was not signed into law by President Buhari.
That was even when Dr Saraki was a member of the ruling party before he dumped it towards the end of his tenure and returned to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
However, the anti-climax of the Electoral Bill reached its head when the vexatious issue of electoral transmission of result was brought to the committee of the whole house last Thursday for debate and passage .
Ironically, either by sheer coincidence or planning,the matter came up two days after President Buhari’s dinner with members of both houses in Aso rock Villa.
The electronic transmission of result which has now become the biggest object whose passage or not is seen as a progressive step towards deepening democracy or otherwise, has also become an eye- opener to internal schemeings both at the National Assembly and the ruling party for obvious advantages not hidden to all close watchers of our  democracy.
Section 52(3), which is the contentious part that has turned the NASS into disorder, deals with electronic transmission of results, which was one of the major recommendations from Nigerians including the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The lawmakers, it will be recalled had attempted to reject and omit amendments canvassed by citizens during the public hearings some of, which was electronic transmission of results of an election and expenses for presidential candidates.
The provision of the section 53 reads,”The commission may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable”
Hence,the decision by Senate Deputy Whip,Sabi Abdullahi, who swiftly moved to amend the section brought the clear divisions between opponents of better and credible electoral system in the ruling party APC on one hand and those who are for improved electoral system among the opposition party especially the PDP on the other hand.
Senator Abdullahi had proposed that,” the commission may consider electronic transmission provided the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by the National Communication Commission,NCC, and approved by the NASS.”
Now that it appears to be the clincher for the opponents of electronic transmission who albeit cited bad networks in the Northern region of the country.
The question you ask yourself is how has it been possible for institutions like West African Examinations Council,Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board,National Examination Council,Telecommunication companies,various banks, electricity companies and other financial institutions who rely on the same network been able to provide their services to the numerous students and the general public.
Yet , though the opponents claim only 50 percent coverage, in those areas, how has the institutions been providing such services and life been functioning in those areas you will ask?.
Expectedly,that the proposals for amendment by Senator Abdullahi triggered murmuring in the chamber last Thursday with many lawmakers loudly opposing and trying to shut him down is not surprising.
That Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, after an executive session to douse tension when the chamber resumed, moved that they vote on the amendment by Senator Abdullahi and advised lawmakers against the proposed amendment to vote against it.
But then signs that deals and compromises have been made behind close doors probably before Thursday was reflected in the decision by Lawan to overrule in spite of the ‘nays’ voice been louder than the ‘ayes’ voice, speaks volume of various undercurrents and schemeings.
That this issue ultimately pitched the APC Senators against the opposition ones speaks volumes of attitude of Change agents, which the APC claims as it’s mantra ,to resist improvements like electronic transmission.
It also speaks volume of ultimate intention of the party against improvement of electoral process and ultimately depeen democracy.
Also, in spite of the fact that Akwa Ibom Senator, Albert Bassey, moved that the clause be re-amended to the initial section as contained in the bill did not make any impact.
That,Lawan called for another vote was done and the ‘nays’ still have their way but that the Senate President still overuled in favour of Abdullahi’s amendment clearly speaks volume of underground schemeings and manipulations, which made passage of what would have been a fundamental step for credible election killed at the eleventh hour.
What is more?.
That after the executive session held to douse tension, 52 lawmakers of the ruling APC still voted to support Senator Abdullahi proposed amendment and ensure it stands, is an upper cut against the advocates of electronic transmission.
That the NCC and NASS were to determined where electronic transmission of results will be determined in a country that has been conducting general elections since 1953, also speaks volume of the level of preparedness of the nation to embrace modernity especially a political party that came to power on the Change mantra.
That out of the 109 members of the Senate,only 80 were present on a day such crucial decision was taken also portrays dangerous trend being made to undermine the legislature.
With 52 APC members voting against the electronic transmission and 28 others voting for portrays vividly that the APC was not ready to continue the progressive moves initiated and started by the then PDP government in 2010.
However,what is more curious and dangerous power play was the decision of the 28 senators most of which are from the southern parts of the country to stay away on a day such crucial decision was taken and coming barely 48 hours after the whole NASS had a dinner with President Buhari speaks volume of very dangerous undercurrents carefully schemed to derail a popular choice of Nigerians to deepen democracy.
On  another perspective ,the decision of the 28 mostly southern senators to stay away, was a negation of the amorphous solidarity they displayed when they met with Southern governors over a month ago to agree on banning of open grazing, which had inflicted more harm on their individual constituencies at home.
In another way, their abstinence from coming to the Upper legislative house to perform their role could also be a compromise of the Southern solidarity on one hand and avoiding a clash with their party and President Buhari on the other hand.
Are they all acting out a script for or by the President?.
Among those absent 13 are from the South while 15 are from the North where the President comes from.
In Ogun State, all the three senators led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former state governor stayed away while Senators like Remi Tinubu and others from SW states present voted against electronic transmission.What a game?
Could their volte- face be a subtle attempt to resist standing against the Aso Rock cabal bent on having their way to prop up Northern votes for some hidden agenda?
Also in the South East which has been clamouring for power rotation like South West, only four out of fifteen senators were present while eleven stayed away.
Only Senators Ibezim and Onyewuchi from Imo and Senator Utazi from Enugu and Ifeanyi Abaribe, from Abia State and easily the most outspoken senator from South East, were present.
Could the absence of the eleven be due to what? You may ask.
With the adoption of same decision to stop electronic transmission by the House of Representatives, it is obvious that a hidden but dangerous political power game aimed at some curious agenda towards 2023 presidential election is afoot.
This is becoming more real as the Northern political establishments and politicians have been insisting on retaining the Presidency in the North.
For who?
Unfolding events in the coming days will reveal.

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