July 15, 2021

Senate President, Ibrahim Lawan, ruled in favour of the amendment when he conducted a voice vote but Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, called for a division that would require individual voting on the floor.

Nigerians have taken to social media to lampoon senators who voted against electronic transmission of result as the senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 Thursday.

Fifty-two (52) APC senators, including the chairman of the Senate INEC committee, Kabiru Gaya, voted against the panel’s report, which had earlier given INEC the sole power to determine the practicability of electronic transmission of results.

Some Nigerians expressed their outrage at the 52 APC senators calling them ‘traitors’, ‘SINators’, ‘retrogressive’, among other adjectives.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, ruled in favour of the amendment when he conducted a voice vote but Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, called for a division that would require individual voting on the floor.

Abaribe’s motion for voice vote exposed the pattern of voting and those who voted against what appeared the popular wish of Nigerians.

• 88 senators were present and voted while 28 were absent.
• 52 APC senators, including the chairman of the Senate INEC committee, Kabiru Gaya, voted against the panel’s report, which gives the electoral umpire the sole power to determine the practicability of electronic transmission of results.
• All PDP Senators on the floor voted in favour of electronic transmission of results by INEC without interference from either the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, or the National Assembly.

Below are the Senators that voted “No” to Electronic transmission of result.

Surajudeen Basiru NO

Francis Alimikhena NO

Ezekiel Ayuba NO

Abubakar Kyari NO

Senator Gyagung Ladi NO

Ali Ndume NO

Opeyemi Bamidele NO

Gobir Abdullahi NO

Abdullahi Danbaba NO

Mohammed Goje NO

Yusuf Yusuf NO

Isa Shuaibu Lau NO

Mohammed Goje NO

Bomai Ibrahim Mohammed NO

Yau Sahabi NO

Uba Sani NO

Kabiru Gaya NO

Ishaku Elisha Abo NO

Baba Kaita NO

Adamu Aliero NO

Yahaya Abdullahi NO

Yakubu Oseni NO

Isa Jibrin NO

Smart Adeyemi NO

Ibrahim Oloriegbe NO

Oluremi Tinubu NO

Solomon Adeola NO

Tanko Al-Makura NO

Godiya Akwashiki NO

Abdullahi Adamu NO

Musa Mohammed Sani NO

Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi NO

Bima Enagi NO

AYES: 28

NAYS: 52

ABSENT: 28

ABSTAIN: 0

TOTAL VOTES: 80