The Take It Back Movement, Bauchi State Chapter, has criticised some Bauchi lawmakers at the National Assembly over their stance on the rejection of real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Comrade Nazif Bashir, the state Coordinator of the movement made the remarks on Thursday through his social media platforms, where he described the actions of Bauchi Senators and members of the House of Representatives as “highly regrettable.”
He said the position of the lawmakers either in supporting or failing to oppose the decision raises concerns about accountability.
According to Bashir, “this stance betrays the trust of the people and undermines the democratic process,” stressing that transparency should remain a priority in Nigeria’s electoral system. He added that opposing reforms designed to protect electoral integrity at a time of growing public demand for credible elections is troubling.
The activist further noted that citizens are closely watching the actions of their representatives, stating that each Senator and Honourable Member from Bauchi would be accountable for their vote.
He argued that in stronger democratic systems, such decisions could lead to recall efforts, adding that the absence of such action points to weaknesses in existing accountability structures.
Bashir also urged residents of the state to remain engaged in civic matters, saying Bauchi citizens deserve representation that promotes openness and responsibility.
He called on the public to demand explanations from their elected officials while reminding them that “the judgment of history will be based on this moment.”
On Wednesday, the Nigerian Senate rejected a proposed amendment to the Electoral Act intended to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
The upper legislative chamber on Wednesday voted against the amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill, which sought to strip the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its discretionary powers regarding the mode of result transmission.
The rejected provision would have legally compelled INEC presiding officers to electronically transmit results from each polling unit directly to the result viewing portal (IREV) in real time.
This was to be done immediately after the prescribed Form EC8A had been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and countersigned by party agents.
Instead of adopting the proposed reform, the Senate chose to retain the existing provision of the Electoral Act, a move that has continued to attract criticism from many Nigerians.
Leave a Reply