The Senate on Thursday, passed for second reading, a bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act to include the use of the Card Reader in the electoral process.
While considering the Bill sponsored by Sen. Tijani Kaura (APC Zamfara North) they directed its committee on INEC to conduct a public hearing and report back in four weeks.
The President of the Senate Bukola Saraki directed the committee to go beyond the issue of card reader to also consider all other issues in the Act that would require amendment.
``It is important that we amend the Act now, the longer we delay it, the more difficult it would become.
``Once we start getting into the electoral arena it becomes more and more difficult,” he said.
He also charged the committee to come up with amendments that would be easy to implement so as not to create more `lacuna’ in the electoral process.
Presenting the lead debate on the bill, Sen. Kaura said that there was need for the Act to be amended in view of the challenges witnessed in the last election especially with the card reader.
While supporting the bill, the Deputy President of the Senate Ike Ekwerenmadu recalled that an amendment to the Electoral Act of 2010 was passed by the 7th Senate but was not accented to by the President.
He said that the Act had been amended to accept electoral voting because electronic voting was not allowed.
Citing example with the recent case in Kogi where a candidate died after primary election had been concluded, the DSP said it was pertinent for the Act to be amended.
``This is time to liaise with INEC, judiciary and propose a comprehensive review of the Electoral Act and even those electoral issues contained in the constitution.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate Ibn Na’Allah however said that it was not possible for the parliament to see every conceivable lacuna in the Electoral Act that required amendment.
In view of that, he proposed that the amendments be made flexible: ``This amendment seeks to validate card reader for elections.
``Instead of limiting to card reader, we could say that the INEC shall have power to conduct election using card reader or such other equipment for the purpose of conducting free and fair election.
``So the law must give some flexibility to the electoral body, it is a very noble cause and we should support this bill to pass the second reading,” he said.
For senator obinna Ogba (PDP Ebonyii Central) his support for the bill was with the condition that the card reader or other amendment does not favour one region of the country over another.
He said that judging from the last elections, the card reader seemed to have worked against those in the southern part of Nigeria where a lot of people were disenfranchised by the card reader.
``Whether we like it or not, a great percentage of my people did not vote as a result of this card reader.
``Before we sign such bill into law, we must take into cognizance the persons responsible for handling the problem to ensure there is no such problem in the future,” he said.
However, Sen. Foster Ogola (PDP Bayelsa West) vehemently opposed the bill saying it stood in contravention to certain sections of the Nigerian Constitution.
Ogola said that before the Electoral Act could be amended, the Constution would first be amended because going by the constitution, any amendment made to the Act would be a nullity.
``The constitution says that any law made that is in contravention with the constitution is null and void.
``I am convinced that this bill should not go for a second reading until the constitution is amended and I urge my colleagues to ensure that thisbill is not passd for second reading,” he said.
Also, Sen. Bassey Akpan said that while he was not against the card reader, it was necessary for it to have been used and perfected before it is included in the Electoral Act or the Constitution.
He said that the card reader did not work well in the South recalling that the machine was unable to verify former President Goodluck Jonathan at his polling unit.
``We must be able to get the assurance of INEC that card reader would work: we need to build on it before we make it into our laws as a preference.
``We are interested in it working for the collective interest of the country not for a sectional interest,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Senate also passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC).
The bills seeks to give INEC power to be able to provide substitutions for candidates in the event of any eventuality after primary election had been concluded.
The sponsor of the Bill Mohammed Shitu said the Bill was necessitated in view of the recent occurrence in Kogi where a governorship candidate died before the electoral process was concluded.
The Senate thereafter adjourned plenary to Tuesday.
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