Electronic Transmission: Why I withdrew my order calling for Division on Senate floor vote – Abaribe.
By Anderson Osiebe.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has defended his decision to withdraw a call for division during Tuesday’s emergency plenary session convened by the Senate to address the controversial Clause 60 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill — the clause dealing with Electronic Transmission of Election Results.
The emergency session was called amid heightened public interest and political tension surrounding the future of electronic transmission in Nigeria’s electoral framework.
During deliberations, Senator Abaribe called for a division — a formal voting procedure used to accurately count lawmakers’ positions on a matter. However, he shortly afterward withdrew the request, a move that attracted significant criticism across media platforms.
Responding to the backlash, the Abia South lawmaker clarified that his decision was neither a retreat nor a compromise, but a calculated legislative strategy aimed at protecting the broader objective of securing electronic transmission within the final version of the Electoral Act.
According to Senator Abaribe, proceeding with the division at that stage would likely have resulted in defeat, given the apparent numerical disposition in the chamber. Such a loss, he argued, would have weakened the reform effort and possibly removed the provision entirely from further consideration.
He emphasized that the legislative process does not end with Senate deliberations alone.
“Essentially, because the process involves harmonization with the House of Representatives,” Abaribe explained. “It is only after the House of Representatives version is not approved, that we can bring the sledge hammer of division.”
The senator’s remarks underscore a key aspect of Nigeria’s lawmaking process. When the Senate and the House of Representatives pass different versions of a bill, both chambers must reconcile their positions through a harmonization committee. It is at that stage that contentious provisions are negotiated and finalized before being transmitted for presidential assent.
Political observers note that forcing a division prematurely could have created a recorded defeat that might weaken the Senate’s negotiating position during harmonization.
By withdrawing the division, Abaribe appears to have opted for strategic patience, preserving the opportunity to deploy what he described as the “sledge hammer” — a decisive vote — if harmonization outcomes threaten the inclusion of electronic transmission.
The controversy highlights the tension between public expectations for assertive action and the often complex, incremental nature of legislative strategy.
While critics viewed the withdrawal as backing down, supporters argue that legislative battles are sometimes won not by dramatic confrontation, but by timing and tactical restraint.
As debate continues over electoral reforms, the issue of electronic transmission remains central to Nigeria’s democratic credibility, transparency, and public trust in elections.
The coming harmonization process between the Senate and the House of Representatives will now determine the final shape of Clause 60 — and whether electronic transmission of results remains firmly embedded in the nation’s electoral law.
