Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday denied allegations that the leadership of the upper and lower legislative Chambers tampered with the report of the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Electoral Act (amendment) Bill.
Lawan stated this following the reports in sections of the media that the clause that deals with empowering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically has been hijacked by the All Progressives Congress (APC) parliamentarians.
The Senate President described those behind the theory as mischief and rabble-rousers, insisting the report was being laid on the floor of the Senate for the first time.
His outburst followed the presentation of the report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabir Gaya on Wednesday.
Key among the clauses said to have been surreptitiously introduced into the Bill was the ban on electronic transmission of election results by INEC.
He lamented that following the publication of his phone number and that of the Speaker, Femi Gbajabimila on social media, he received over 900 short messages (SMS) on his phone in one day.
Lawan maintained: “There are various allegations and insinuations that the leadership of the Senate and by implication, the National Assembly has some time tampered with the report of the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of both Chambers.
“Those accusing the leadership of the National Assembly are misinformed and they are mischievous and rabble routers.
“The report was being laid for the first time.”
“This is the decision of the Committee and it will be discussed and considered.
” This report has been presented here and if anybody feels anything strong, should lobby distinguished Senators to take his position rather than blackmail the leadership because my telephone line was published and in one day I received over 900 SMS messages, saying we have manipulated it. We didn’t.
“We will do what is right. We have our procedures. And lobbying is part of democracy.”
The report of the Senate Committee on INEC on the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill is expected to be considered tomorrow (Thursday) by the Senate.