As 2023 general elections approaches, All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators from Southern Nigeria have closed ranks with their northern counterparts in voting against electronic transmission of election results.

The Senators made the vote during Thursday’s plenary when called on one after the other to decide on electronic voting and electronic transmission of election results.

Noteworthy amongst those from the South that voted against electronic transmission are: Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North, as well as Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central.

Explaining why he threw his weight against electronic voting, Senator Kalu said there was no network in his village. Meanwhile, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South, voted for electronic voting, while Senator Ajayi Boroffice representing Ondo North, was the only member of the ruling APC that voted against party lines.

As announced by the House Clerk after the rowdy session, a total of 52 Senators voted against electronic transmission of election results, while 28 voted in favour of it.

Senators Oluremi Tinubu, Kabiru Gaya, Smart Adeyemi, Solomom Adeola, Elisha Abbo and Ali Ndume all voted against the Bill.

The Senator Ahmad Lawan-led Senate had given some conditions for the adoption of the Bill, some of which included that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would concede its powers of transmitting the results to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

They insisted that the NCC and the National Assembly will take over the work of INEC by transmitting the results against the backdrop that INEC cannot carry out the electronic transmission of results unless the NCC and the National Assembly approve.