Governors from the southern states of Nigeria have rejected the removal of electronic transmission of election results from the electoral act, currently undergoing amendment at the National Assembly.

The governors made this known after their meeting at Ikeja, the capital of Lagos state on Monday.

“In order to consolidate our democracy and strengthen the Electoral process, the Southern Governors’ Forum reject the removal of the Electronic transmission of the election result from the electoral act,” a communique of the meeting noted.

This followed a report stating that the national assembly has blocked the proposed electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria, as they set to pass the electoral act amendment bill, that could repeal the purpose of the proposed law.

The bill which has been under consideration for years, seeks to repeal and re-enact the 2010 electoral act.

It could be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari refused to sign the bill into law in 2018, implying that it was too close to the elections and would disrupt the conduct of the 2019 polls.

The governor’s also demanded that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the south, as the country gears up for the 2023 Presidential election and as agitation for a southern president continues to mount.

Present at the meeting were Lagos state governor Babajide Sawo-Olu, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, and Philip Shaibu, deputy governor of Edo, who represented Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Diri Duoye of Bayelsa, Willie Obiano of Anambra, Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, David Umahi of Ebonyi, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo, were also present at the crucial meeting.