By DailyAgent
Abuja, Nigeria
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday abandoned electronic voting on the State Police Bill after the red chamber’s voting device developed a technical fault during proceedings.
The development forced lawmakers to adopt a manual voting process to ensure that no senator was excluded from participating in the crucial decision on the future of state policing in Nigeria.
Under the new arrangement, each senator will stand before the chamber, announce their name, and publicly declare whether they support or oppose the proposed State Police framework.
The move followed concerns that proceeding with the faulty electronic system could disenfranchise some lawmakers and undermine the credibility of the voting process.
Leading the motion, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele argued for manual voting as the most transparent and inclusive option under the circumstances.
“There is the need to also ensure transparency both within ourselves as people that will be performing this major constitutional responsibility, as well as members of the public,” Bamidele said.
“Rather than go by way of electronic voting, which obviously is not the case today, and disenfranchise a few or so of our colleagues whose machines are not working.
“I am moving that we give every distinguished senator the opportunity to answer his or her father’s name by doing manual voting.”
Abba Moro, the minority leader, seconded the motion.
Lawmakers said the procedure would ensure that no senator is excluded from the voting process while making each lawmaker’s position known to constituents.
The State Police Bill remains one of the most closely watched constitutional reform proposals in the country, with supporters describing it as a solution to growing insecurity, while critics warn about the potential for abuse by state governments.
With senators now required to openly declare their positions, Nigerians will have a clearer view of where their representatives stand on the push to establish State Police across the country.
