Ahead 2023 Elections: Bill to make the use of card readers for accreditation compulsory passes first reading at Senate

By Osaze Obaze,

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Senate on Wednesday started a fresh process to introduce a fresh amendment into the 1999 Constitution with a view to making the use of card readers compulsory for elections in Nigeria.

The proposed legislation Tagged, “The Electoral Act (amendment) bill, 2021 (SB. 680) which was sponsored by the Senate Spokesperson, Senator Ajibola Basiru (Osun Central), passed first reading on Wednesday.

The bill as read seeks to amend the Electoral Act by altering the period for accreditation and voting.

The Punch reports, that the bill also provided for the compulsory use of card readers for accreditation.

The bill also makes provision for separate periods for accreditation and voting, with the further provision that accreditation should commence by 8:00am and close by 1:00pm.

By the provisions of the proposed amendments, voting is expected to commence immediately after accreditation.

However, this is without prejudice to the fact that all voters who are already on the queue by 1:00 pm shall be accredited.

In the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act, the accreditation process shall comprise of the verification of voters using the card reader and register of voters.

Furthermore, the bill provides that where the votes cast at an election in any polling unit exceeds the number of accredited voters on the voters register and card reader in any polling unit, the result of the election in that polling unit shall be declared void.

It also provides that another election be conducted where the result at that polling unit may affect the overall result in the Constituency.

The innovation provides legal backing to the use of card readers for elections in Nigeria.

The bill also makes it compulsory for INEC to make available to a political party or candidates in any election, upon request, the details of the number of accredited voters for the election on both the card reader and voters register used for the election.