Reps to test run e-voting on Wednesday

The House of Representatives may on Wednesday commence a test-run of e-voting method in its legislative procedures.

Deputy Majority Whip of the house, Mr Pally Iriase (Edo-APC) gave the hint while speaking with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja after the chamber’s plenary.

It would be recalled that it was difficult for the Speaker of the house, Mr Yakubu Dogara, to ascertain whether the “nays’’ or the “ayes’’ had majority when he put the motion on the bill to voice vote.

It was at the second voting that the rejection of the bill was clear as majority of the members voted against it.

Iriase said that e-voting would replace the regular voice vote being currently applied and forestall future controversies in the house, explaining that the method would promote accountability and transparency.

“Arrangements have been perfected for electronic voting to ease the process and ensure more accountability and transparency.

“We will be dealing with the modernisation of the process of law-making toward e-parliament.

“What has been done is to get experts who have concluded their work and the test-run is going to start on Wednesday,’’ he said.

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The resolution of the resolution to adopt e-voting ostensibly stemmed from the controversy that trailed the rejection of the South-East Development Commission Bill by the house on Thursday.