Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday walked out of plenary, chanting “APC Ole,” after the chamber adopted Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The tension began when Rep. Bamidele Salam introduced a motion seeking to delete the clause that permits manual transmission of election results, contending that its inclusion could weaken the integrity of the electoral process and hinder Nigeria’s technological advancement in elections.
The motion, which was seconded by Rep. Kingsley Chinda, was ultimately rejected as the “nays” carried the voice vote. The decision triggered tension in the chamber, leading to a heated exchange among lawmakers.
Real Broadcasting Network earlier reported that the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, subsequently called for an executive session in an attempt to resolve the issue.
However, the closed-door meeting failed to pacify the aggrieved lawmakers.
Upon resumption of plenary, the situation escalated as some lawmakers stood up and prevented the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, from continuing proceedings.
The aggrieved members eventually walked out in protest, insisting on their opposition to Clause 60(3), which addresses the compulsory electronic transmission of election results.