₦airaland Forum

The controversies surrounding the deployment of soldiers for election may have been laid to rest as the National Assembly has empowered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to function as the sole authority who can request for the deployment of security personnel for election purposes in the country.

This forms part of new amendments proposed to the Electoral Act 2010, with a new sub-section (b) to the extant section 29 (1) of the principal Act that will give more powers to INEC on troops deployment.

Also yesterday, the House of Representatives gave a node to the conference committee report on a bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act No. 6 of 2010 by adopting it.

The report was adopted after Hon. Jerry Manwe moved a motion for its adoption. The House thereafter received and adopted the conference committee report on the amendment bill in order to ensure a level-playing field for all participants in the electoral process and for more transparent process of conducting elections in the country, among others.

The report, presented in plenary by the chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Manwe, has a total of 28 amendments contained in it.

On INEC's new powers, the report said: "This new provision seeks to ensure that the commission is responsible for requesting and deploying relevant security personnel necessary for elections or registration of voters; assigning them in the manner determined by the commission in collaboration with the relevant security agencies, with the condition that the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces shall only be for the purpose of securing the distribution and delivery of election materials."

Section 29 (1) (b) of the adopted amendment states that "notwithstanding the provisions of any other law and for purposes of securing the vote, the commission shall be responsible for requesting for the deployment of relevant security personnel necessary for elections or registration of voters and shall assign them in the manner determined by the commission in consultation with the relevant security agencies.

Provided that the commission shall only request for the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces only for the purpose of securing the distribution and delivery of election materials and protection of election officials," it added.

Another major amendment is a provision that empowers INEC to disqualify candidates by providing for Section 7 (A), which provides that: "Any political party that presents to the commission the name of a candidate that does not meet the qualification stipulated in the constitution and this Act shall be disqualified from participating in that particular election for that office."

The new amendment also empowers INEC presiding officers to announce results at polling units with an amendment to Section 63 (3).

The new provision states that, "The presiding officer shall then announce the result at the polling unit and shall thereafter give the candidates or their polling agents, the assigned police officer, the assigned representative of the State Security Service, assigned representative of Security and Civil Defence Corps, accredited election observer groups and a representative of the media a copy each of the signed and announced result form."

Source

http://www.reportnaija.com/2015/03/elections-national-assembly-empowers.html?m=1

Correct......
POLITICAL THUGRREY watch out!!!!
It's our future. No violence. Just vote.....

I like that

GEJ must ensure the security of life and properties before, during and after 2015 general election and he will do that using any security agency he want..If you don't like it, Go & Die

Does it mental Mega can give instructions to army chiefs.

A big joke.

macpetrus:
Correct......
POLITICAL THUGRREY watch out!!!!
It's our future. No violence. Just vote.....

Inec order or not military must be deployed

Apc thugs re so scared of soldiers, its a good tin dey deploy soldiers on election day. Dey will ensure dat d election is peaceful and d lives of our electoral officials re guaranteed!

myopic leaders taking myopic decisions. what knowledge do inec chairman has on security? will this law holds water after GEJ?

Sometimes our legislators behave sanely. I thought APC group would oppose it because it's only a person who has a plan to cause trouble that would reject deployment of troops.

Gej always have his way without Ranting, unlike my party(APC). I love this man called Jonathan.

^^^ No be by too much talk and noise.
His name is GOODLUCK and the name have been working for him
GEJ will sail to victory come March 28th. (Mark my words)
Some people will lament and cry as usual

GEJ till 2019!!!

Over to you Jega.