House Will Resist Non-Use Of Card Readers For 2019 Elections, Dogara Vows

According to the Speaker, “The new Electoral Act amendment bill has provisions that are designed to guarantee free, fair and transparent elections in Nigeria, entrenches the Smart Card Reader and electronic transmission of results, among others,” adding that “the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) supplementary budget bill must also be accorded expeditious consideration.”

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has vowed that the federal lawmakers will resist any attempt to continue to frustrate the enactment of the Electoral Act Amendment bill, particularly the use of card readers for 2019 elections.

Describing such move as an effort to erode the gains of the successes recorded in the 2015 elections, Dogara, in a speech to mark the resumption of the House from its annual recess, said the passage of the bill will address fears that some forces plan to manipulate the forthcoming elections by exploiting loopholes in the Electoral Act as it is presently.

According to the Speaker, “The new Electoral Act amendment bill has provisions that are designed to guarantee free, fair and transparent elections in Nigeria, entrenches the Smart Card Reader and electronic transmission of results, among others,” adding that “the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) supplementary budget bill must also be accorded expeditious consideration.”

He assured the people that as soon as the assembly settles down to business, the INEC supplementary budget bill must be accorded expeditious consideration.

“The pending issue of the Electoral Act amendment bill, which was unfortunately vetoed by the president, must also be expeditiously considered and passed. The new Electoral Act amendment bill has provisions that are designed to guarantee free, fair and transparent elections in Nigeria. The amendment bill entrenches the Smart Card Reader and electronic transmission of results among others. Any further attempt to frustrate the passing into law of the bill, will be indicative of our desire not to improve on the successes of the 2015 general election as well as further fueling the fears that some, including our international partners, have about some forces who intend to manipulate the forthcoming elections by exploiting identified loopholes in the Electoral Act currently in force,” he stated.