New Telegraph

Election transmission: Senate’s decision assault on constitution – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the decision of the Senate to subject electronic transmission of election results to the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), which is an agency under executive control, is a defilement of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The party said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan that the constitution conferred on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to conduct elections, free from interferences and regulations from any other agency of government.

“The decision of the APC Senators therefore amounts to a suspension of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which is a recipe for a crisis that could derail our democracy and destabilize our nation.

“It is, to say the least, a preparation for mass rigging of elections across Nigeria by the APC, which must be firmly resisted,” PDP stated.

It expressed shock at the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate to undermine the nation’s electoral process by refusing to approve electronic transmission of election results without conditionalities.

The party said the action was an assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians, who looked up to the Senate for improvement in the electoral process in a manner that would engender free, fair and credible process.

“It is outrageous that the APC and its Senators, in their desperate bid to annex the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seek to route a statutorily independent commission to the approval of an individual masquerading in the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC); an agency under executive control in addition to an extra endorsement of the legislature, before conducting elections,” PDP said.

It commended PDP senators “as well as other democratically minded senators in the chamber for their resilience in voting for unconditional electronic transmission of results, in line with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians for free, fair, clean and credible election.”

The party noted the efforts being made in the House of Representatives and urged the lawmakers to save the nation from the machination of the APC.

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