Senate debates militarisation of 2019 polls, demands improved elections

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The Senate has resolved to probe the conduct of the 2019 general election by commencing next week, a debate on noticeable infractions including militarisation of the polls.

According to the Senate, it found the debate necessary to address issues of impunity in the election process and proffer solutions as well as suggesting to President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to assent to the pending Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

This followed a motion by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Dino Melaye (PDP/Kogi West), at the plenary on Wednesday.

Standing on order 42 of the Senate rule, Melaye said that the matter should not go undebated, adding that by debating it, the electoral processes would be corrected.

Sen. Melaye said it is imperative for the Senate to debate the conduct of both the February 23 Presidential/National Assembly and the March 9 governorship/state Assembly elections.

The senator called on President Buhari to look into the amendment of the Electoral Act, so that the nation can be put on the part of progress.

He said: “Especially the militarisation of the process should not go undebated. We need to correct the process for future elections. And also, the President should consider it necessary to sign into law the Electoral Act Amendment Bill to help put our electoral process on the right path.”

Defending the move to debate the militarisation of the elections, he said that his decision to bring up the matter was for the sake of posterity.

The chamber was, however, divided along party lines after Melaye’s submission. While PDP senators insisted that the matter should be debated, their APC counterparts kicked against the debate.

Ruling on the motion, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the session, said the motion would be debated next week, but added that debate on the motion should be devoid of partisanship.

Sen. Saraki doused the rising tension by saying that the motion was well brought forward and the issue will be discussed at the Senate leadership level before being listed on the order paper for debate next week.