The Presidency has thrown its weight behind members of the National Assembly for rejecting the transmission of results electronically by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It would be recalled that the lawmakers in the red chamber had, on Thursday, while considering the Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill, voted that the INEC should seek the permission of the National Assembly and the National Communications Commission (NCC).
The senators premised their decision on technical issues that may arise in some parts of the country.
They voted that: “The Commission (INEC) may consider the electronic transmission of results, provided the national coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by the National Communications Commission (NCC) and approved by the National Assembly.”
Speaking on the development on Saturday night, the Special Adviser to the President on Political matters, Babafemi Ojudu, said the issues raised by the lawmakers before taking their decision on the matter should be considered.
Ojudu, in an interview with journalists shortly after presenting an award to a former governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedon, spoke at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, during an investiture of the 12th President of Rotary Club of Abuja Metro, Dupe Abosede.
He said: “Well, I don’t know why that happened, but I guess listening to the debate on the floor, listening to the NCC officials who came, it could just be as a result of technical considerations.
“They are saying that in some parts of the country, connectivity could be very slow, connectivity could be very unreliable, and if you have to move the results to another area where there is connectivity, something could happen on the way.
“And I think they also raised the issues of hackers, that even in America, with its technological perfection, hackers hacked results in some parts of America during the last election.
“I think that could have been the consideration for that. I have no personal opinion about that, but that is their decision.”
When confronted with what Nigerians are saying that the APC rejected e-transmission because it wants to rig elections, Ojudu said, “No o…!!! We don’t have to rig. We will go out and vigorously campaign.
“There is no belief that APC is a party that rigs elections. If we do, we wouldn’t have allowed the PDP to have Zamfara, Bauchi, Adamawa, Oyo and others. That couldn’t have happened under the PDP.”
The President’s aide also maintained that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had done well for Nigerians, saying such good governance had brightened the chance of the party to retain power both at the centre and Ekiti State in 2023 and 2022 respectively.
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