The National Assembly will soon amend the Electoral Act to accommodate the use of card readers in the conduct of elections in the country.
Rep. Zakari Mohammed, Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Basic Education, made the promise during interview with newsmen in Ilorin on Monday.
He explained that this would be done to take care of the recent observations and pronouncements of the Supreme Court concerning the constitutional relevance of card readers in elections.
Mohammed, representing Baruten/Kaiama Constituency of Kwara, said the apex court was justified to be concerned about the law as it did not recognise the use of card readers.
He said lawmakers will work towards making the item legally binding in order not to rubbish the record set for Nigeria’s electoral reforms through the use of card readers.
“The court was stating the law in those judgments. The card reader was very helpful in giving credibility to the elections.”
On the impasse at the Kogi state House of Assembly, the law maker, who is a member of the 10-man fact finding committee from the House investigating the crisis, said politicians should demonstrate statesmanship.
He said that some politicians had not understood the need to go beyond mere politicking.
Mohammed appealed to representatives to make themselves accountable to the electorate and to embark on governance rather than allowing the outcome of elections to linger for long.
Mohammed said the House of Reps has the constitutional right to take over any state House of Assembly in crisis pending the resolution of such.
He said the committee would submit its report on Tuesday and make its recommendations public.
Mohammed appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the present administration, especially with the foreign trips being embarked upon by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the President’s trips were within the law of the land and in the interest of the nation.
Mohammed said that the nation needed the support of other countries in the arduous task of revamping her economy.
He expressed the hope that the 2016 budget would capture all sectors of the economy, including the Kishi/Kaiama federal road in Kwara. (NAN)
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