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Electoral Amendment: Lawan denies tampering with report, tackles rumour mongers
The much awaited report of the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been laid on the floor of the Senate Chambers by its Chairman, Senator Kabir Gaya on Wednesday.
But in a dramatic twist on the submission of the report that would be debated on Thursday this week, Senate President, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan denied rumours making the round that the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act, 2004 has been manipulated by the leadership of the upper and lower legislative Chambers.
CAPITAL POST last week reported that Senators and members of the House of Representatives acknowledged that plans were afoot to expunge the clause empowering the electoral umpire to transmit election results electronically to avoid rigging that has often been recorded during elections.
Lawan described those behind the theory as mischief and rabble routers, insisting the report was being laid on the floor of the Senate for the first.
Lawan’s outburst followed the presentation of the report by the Chairman of Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabir Gaya on Wednesday.
Lawan maintained: “There are various allegations and insinuations that the leadership of the Senate and by implication, the National Assembly has some time tampered with the report of the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of both Chambers.
“Those accusing the leadership of the National Assembly are misinformed and they are mischievous and rabble routers.
“The report was being laid for the first time.”
“This is the decision of the Committee and it will be discussed and considered.
” This report has been presented here and if anybody feel anything strong, should lobby distinguished Senators to take his position rather than blackmail the leadership because my telephone line was published and in one a day I received over 900 SMS messages, saying we have have manipulated it. We didn’t.
“We have our procedures and lobbying is part of democracy.”
The INEC report is likely to be debated on Thursday 15th July.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commitee Chairman, Kabir Gaya commended distinguished Senators for their cooperation that has made them discharge their mandates with ease.