NASS will include card reader in new electoral act – Omo-Agege

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege says the
National Assembly will give legal backing to the card readers in
the new Electoral Act, to further enhance the integrity of the
electoral process in Nigeria.

He gave the assurance when he received the Nigerian
Representatives of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural
Council, (AU-ECOSOCC), led by Dr. Tunji Ashaolu in Abuja on
Thursday.

A statement by his spokesperson, Yomi Odunga in Abuja, quoted
Omo-Agege as saying that it was important the card reader be made
part of the legal regime for elections.

He said the senate maintained that card reader would ensure
credible polls. According to him, the mistake of the Eighth
National Assembly is that the amendment of the Electoral Act
breached ECOWAS Protocol, which will not be repeated.

“I am sure any minute from now, we are going to be coming up
with a revised Electoral Reform Amendment Bill that will address
issues that are very dear to us and issues that came to the fore in
the 2019 elections, most especially revolving around the legality
of the card reader.

“We know that there is no way you can have genuine, credible,
free and fair elections in this country without addressing the
issue of the card reader.

“Most of the litigations that arise from the 2015 and 2019
elections have always centered around the legality or otherwise of
the card reader.

“The courts have made it very clear that as far as they are
concerned, Section 49 of the Electoral Act is very clear that the
only document recognized by law for purpose of accreditation is the
voters’ register.

“To the extent that we believe that we want to introduce any
innovation including but not limited to the card reader.

“We have to do the right thing, the right thing as far as we are
concerned is for us to pass the law to make the card reader.

“We are hellbent on doing that, and we actually tried in the
committee that I served on in the eighth senate but the leadership
of the eighth senate delayed it and by the time it passed, it had
run into challenges with the ECOWAS Protocol,” he said.

He, however, explained that contentious areas in the amendments
made by the eighth National Assembly would be removed before the
bill will be passed and sent to the President for assent.

Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District,
also expressed the desire of the ninth senate to ensure that the
Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) was given accelerated
approval.

He assured that the bill would have the buy-in of the executive
arm of government to avoid the mistakes of the past. He said: “This
time around, it is the determination of the ninth senate that we
are going to have this (PIGB) passed.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr. Tunji John Ashaolu,
emphasized the need for Nigeria to take its rightful place in the
African Union (AU). He also called on the National Assembly to
immediately revisit the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, as well as
the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill. NAN