Accountable Democracy

  Senate bows to pressure, says INEC can transmit elections electronically https://punchng.com/breaking-senate-bows-to-pressure-says-inec-can-transmit-elections-electronically/ ( Source: Punch Newspaper) & NASS passes Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/11/nass-passes-electoral-act-amendment-bill-2021/ ( Source: Vanguard Newspaper) Commentary The road ahead is bright Though not yet time to rest Nigeria's electoral reforms begins from when our votes count Now with this victory we need to sustain the movement and ensure electronic transmission gradually turns into credible and verifiable electronic voting. It is not yet UHURU! (c) Felix Omosele 13.11.2021

  Senate approves conditional electronic transmission of election results https://punchng.com/senate-approves-conditional-electronic-transmission-of-election-results/   (Source:  The Punch Newspaper) Commentary                                         Photo by  Stas Knop  from  Pexels The agitation didn’t start today But the pattern has been similar 2 steps forward and 6 steps backwards   So, goes the pattern: Civil societies clamour for electoral reform Academics suggest an incremental move to e-voting Then the National Assembly sets up electoral sub-committee   Then INEC propose that we start with electronic transmission of votes Stakeholders propose brilliant formulations The Bill is passed, and the Presidential Assent is withheld   Of course, we go back to the round table again! Only this time, INEC will not sit at that t...

To reap the gains of the recent peaceful youth protests in Nigeria, we need to clamour for the "Electoral Reform Bill" to be passed into law and assented to by the President. The Bill clamour for the recognition of electronic transmission of results and other needed reforms. I just signed this noble petition sponsored by the "Center For Liberty" and other CSO. You can also help our democracy by doing the same. Please click on the link below to sign the petition. https://www.change.org/p/sign-a-petition-to-call-on-nass-to-complete-electoral-reforms-by-december-2020

"US Elections 2020 - Tight Battles in key states" Tight battle in key states BIDEN , DEMOCRAT , 224 TRUMP , REPUBLICAN , 213 Source: Images and captions culled from BBC News. Personal Commentary: A recap of Bush v. Gore In Bush v. Gore, the issue for determination was whether the standard-less manual recount procedures-approved by the Florida Supreme Court- violates the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the United States Constitution. The facts of the case merit some review. Consequent upon the Presidential Election of Nov. 8, 2000, in Florida and the declaration of Gov. Bush (Candidate of the Republican Party) as the winner, Vice President Al Gore (Candidate of the Democratic Party) applied for a manual recount of cast votes to be done in four counties, pursuant to Florida’s election protest provisions. [1] Eventually, the Florida Election Canvassing Commission certified the post-machine recount results, without undertaking the manual recounts sought by Gore.  G...

With both the Edo and Ondo States' governorship elections having been concluded in Nigeria, it is time to draw lessons from both exercises which will be useful for subsequent elections and the general elections in the year 2023.  Of particular concern is the increasing monetization of votes by the dominant parties, a vice that was widely reported by local and international observers. In addition to the recommendations contained in the 14th January 2020 blog( see below),I will be encouraging the electoral commission, civil societies and the general public to embark on sustained pressure on the National Assembly and the Presidency for electoral reforms. This will enable both arms to progressively legislate and execute policies aimed at entrenching a gradual deployment of electronic voting in Nigeria.  ( Originally published on the 14th of January 2020) 2020: Edo, Ondo Governorship Elections In Focus https://www.independent.ng/2020-edo-ondo-governorship-elections-in-focus/ ( Sour...

"PDP fumes as Supreme Court sacks Ihedioha, declares Uzodinma winner" https://punchng.com/pdp-fumes-as-supreme-court-sacks-ihedioha-declares-uzodinma-winner/ (Source: Punch Newspapers) Commentary "A wise man will not  be   in a hurry  to lick from a hot soup"  So says a proverb  from the Yoruba people of South West  Nigeria.     Now that a month has passed  since the Supreme Court's landmark judgement in the Imo's* Gubernatorial appeal We can now ask those jurisprudential questions. Some of us have argued that the classical hearsay rule needs to be                             relaxed in electoral litigation                                                  And that the Court must not be constrained to...