Lawmakers of the House of Representatives, on Friday, July 16, passed the Electoral Amendment Bill, thus stepping down the controversial section 52 (3) of the bill which deals with the electronic transmission of election results.
The passage of the bill came shortly after opposition lawmakers walked out of the heated session that ensued at the National Assembly chambers in Abuja during the plenary.
The lawmakers had on Thursday failed to reach a consensus over the much-debated clause after the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wale ruled against the electronic transmission of election results in spite of a resounding vote in favor of the move.
Subsequently, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the NCC would be present on Friday to give further clarifications on the Electoral Act with a major focus on section 52(3).
Similarly, the House also adopted the Conference Committee Report on the Petroleum Industry (PIB) Bill, voting 3 percent for host communities in the oil-producing areas.
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila explained the laying of the conference report on the PIB followed the rules of the House.
“I need to explain the rationale behind the laying of this report. Yesterday, I stepped down the laying of this report so that we get to the Senate and see how it o resolve the issue.
“But unfortunately, by the time we got to the Senate, they had already resolved and taken a decision. So, there was nothing that we can do,” Gbajabiamila said.
After passing the PIB and electoral act amendment bill, the House adjourned and will resume September 14.
