The Nigerian Senate has approved the use of electronic voting in future elections and election results to be electronically transmitted in an encrypted and secured manner to collation centers, in order to prevent hacking.
The Senate took the decision as it concluded its amendment of the Electoral Act 2010.
The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Abubakar Kyari, told journalists that the bill also addressed issues in the last election in Kogi state where a candidate died before results were declared.
“In the event of the death of a candidate during elections, before the announcement of the result, that the commission (INEC), shall suspend election for a period of 21 days and give the opportunity to the party whose candidate had died; if the party has interest that is, to continue with the election.
“If the party still thinks that they want to continue with the election, then they would be given 14 days to conduct a primary election and produce a candidate.
The reason for stating this according to him, was because there were several issues in which some persons had said that “the running mate should take over, some are saying that the runner up in the primary election should be considered.
“What we are saying now is that we have laid those on the side and given the party the opportunity to conduct another primary election.
“If the runner up is suitable, then the primary election will decide, if the running mate is also suitable, then the primary election will also decide,” Senator Kyari stated.
