By Myke Uzendu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sais Wednesday that it will investigate the roles played by some it’s members at the National Assembly during the voting exercise on the electronic transmission of election results.
The party had canvassed the use of technology to transmit election results, insisting that most of the controversies and falsification of election occur as a result of the human interface during the result collation at the local government and state collation centres.
The party however came under heavy attack as most of its influential lawmakers stayed away on the day of the all important voting exercise.
Addressing newsman on Wednesday at it’s Secretariat, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the party is set to meet with it’s caucus at the national Assembly to investigate the role of its members during the exercise.
He said, “The people’s Democratic Party is calling a meeting between the party and caucus in the national Assembly to review the participation of members in the legislative activity of the national Assembly as it concerns the voting on transmission of results”.
Some of the PDP senators who stayed away during the voting exercise include: Former Deputy Senate President Sen. Ike Ekwewmmadu, Senator Uche Ekwunife, Senator Stella Oduah, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha, Senator Chimaroke Namani and many others.
The upper legislative chamber had in a majority vote of 54 to 28, retained an amendment by Senaor Sabi Abdullahi, senate deputy whip, who proposed that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) must certify that national coverage is adequate and secure, while the national assembly must approve the recommendation before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can transmit election results electronically.
Senotor Albert Bassey who is representing Akwa Ibom North-east, kicked against the motion and said the initial proposal made by the committee should be retained, a decision that prompted the Senate Minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaraibe, to invoke the senate Order 73 that eventually led to call for votes
