House Elections – Open-Secret Ballot System Stands

Abdul-Rahman Abubakar

24 May 2011

The Open-Secret ballot system of voting recently adopted by the House of Representatives for the election of the next Speaker and other principal officers stands and has not been objected to by any member, Chairman House Committee on Rules and Business, Ita Enang, said yesterday.

Speaking to Daily Trust on phone, Enang said the recent amendment to the House rules which changed the voting procedure for emergence of the next set of principal officers stands and there is no move to revise it.

He said “the open-secret ballot system has been adopted by all members during the amendment and I am not aware of any member that has come forward to move for it to be revised. As it is today, that is the voting procedure to be used for the election of the incoming presiding officers.”

The House recently amended its rule to provide for open-secret ballot system of voting for presiding and principal officers. The amendment is perceived as a move by some of the lawmakers to scuttle the emergence of Alhaji Ajibola Muraina (PDP, Ibarapa Central) from the South-west who is anointed by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as next Speaker of the House.

The new rule provides an open field for contestants to the seat of Speaker irrespective of zone while members are to cast their votes secretly and drop their ballots in a box that is kept in the open. The procedure aims at protecting the secrecy of the members’ votes.

PDP has zoned the Speakership to the South west and anointed Muraina, but another member from the zone, Mulikat Akande-Adebola (PDP, Ogbomoso) is interested in the position and is campaigning vigorously to emerge.

Some renegade members of the party in the House have also taken an anti-zoning posture clamouring for the candidature of Rep Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from Sokoto State for Speaker. The situation has brought division among returning members of the House and other members elect.

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