The House of Representatives has restricted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from using other electronic devices in elections apart from the smart card readers.
This is one of the amendments in the Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2020 passed by the House last week.
The House had considered the report by its Committee on Electoral Matters between Thursday and Friday, during which members proposed a series of amendments.
The Section 49(3) of the Act reads, “Where a smart card reader or any other technological device deployed for accreditation of voters fails to function in any unit and a fresh card reader or technological device is not deployed, the election in that unit shall be cancelled and another election shall be scheduled within 24 hours.
“If the commission is satisfied that the result of the election in that polling unit will substantially affect the final result of the whole election and declaration of a winner in the constituency concerned.”
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However, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, asked the House to remove “or any other technological device” from the clause at the sitting on Thursday.
But, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, who presided over the Committee argued that that computers are used during polls, which are regarded as devices.
Wase, however, put the amendment proposed by the Speaker to voice vote and it was unanimously adopted.
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