SIR: #FixPolitics, a citizens-led research-based movement designed to structurally change and innovate politics in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, celebrates the victory of Nigerian citizens recorded in the resolution by the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, October 12, that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is now free to determine the mode of transmission of results during elections, whether electronically or manually.
Specifically, the Senate amended Clause 52(2) of the Electoral Bill to read thus: “Subject to section 63 of this Bill, voting at an election and transmission of results under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission, which may include electronic voting.”
We consider this reversal of the Senate’s earlier resolution, which subjected INEC’s power to transmit election results electronically to the approval of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Assembly, as a major step towards the actualisation of Nigerians’ desire for elections that are transparent, free and fair.
#FixPolitics is one of the Civil Society Organisations which demanded that the legislature must amend the nation’s electoral laws to include the electronic transmission of election results. We made presentations at the various public hearings held by the Senate and House of Representatives on constitutional and electoral reforms, along with other advocacy efforts. In particular, a petition was uploaded on the “change.org” platform inviting as many as one million citizens to append their signatures and demand for the electronic transmission of election results. The petition was endorsed by about 100 CSOs, NGOs including the Nigeria Bar Association.
Given that Nigeria practices a representative democracy, #FixPolitics holds the “Office of the Citizen” as the highest office in the land, and is delighted that the Nigerian Senate has realised that as representatives of the people, their power as members of that hallowed chamber derives from the people and, therefore, it is their duty to pass laws that reflect the will of the people.
#FixPolitics calls on Nigerian citizens to continue to make their voices heard on issues which bear directly on their well-being and that of their country.
#FixPolitics will not relent in its commitment to promoting values-based leadership, advocating for the realization of empowered and engaged citizens and proposing structural reforms to our electoral and constitutional processes with a view to engendering good governance in Nigeria. We believe that more victories will be won for a truly democratic Nigeria as citizens recognise and use their constitutional powers elect and hold leaders accountable. Our country is on the move.
- Prof. Remi Sonaiya & Anthony Ubani,
For; #FixPolitics.