Electoral Act: Okonkwo Faults Akpabio, Calls For His Removal

A combo photo of Okonkwo and Akpabio.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has faulted Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the Electoral Act Amendment Bill controversy and is calling for his removal.

Okonkwo spoke on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, aired on Channels Television on Sunday.

“What it means is that Senator Godswill Akpabio has become an enemy of democracy and is sticking to the vicious cycle of election rigging, manipulation, falsification, and subterfuge by trying to maintain the same provision that the Supreme Court told you that if you do, you are an enemy of democracy,” he said.

“That man is an enemy of democracy and should be removed if he doesn’t resign.”

The Electoral Act amendment bill passed the third reading at the Senate last week.

Clause 60 (30) of the Electoral Amendment Bill is connected with the electronic transmission of results. On Wednesday, the Senate retained the provision for the electronic transfer of results as contained in the 2022 Electoral Act.

The Red Chamber rejected moves for the real-time transmission of results and a 10-year ban on vote-buyers. It instead retained the sanctions of jail terms and fines. -Channels