Labour Party stalwart and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi has fiercely criticized the Nigerian Senate's decision to reject a key proposal making real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory, labeling it an "unforgivable act of electoral manipulation" ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a pointed statement, Obi described the Senate's action taken during the passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill as a "blatant" and "shameful" move that undermines transparency and erodes the foundation of credible elections in Nigeria.
The Senate, after hours of debate and clause-by-clause consideration, voted down an amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the bill.
This proposal would have required presiding officers to transmit polling unit results electronically to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time, immediately after signing and stamping Form EC8A and obtaining countersignatures from party agents.
Instead, lawmakers retained the existing provision from the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows results to be transferred "in a manner as prescribed by the Commission," leaving electronic transmission optional at INEC's discretion.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other defenders, including Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe, insisted the chamber did not reject electronic transmission outright but preserved what was successfully used in prior elections.
Obi, however, rejected this interpretation, arguing that the refusal to mandate the measure opens the door to manipulation.
He linked it directly to controversies in the 2023 elections, where claims of a "glitch" prevented full electronic upload of results fueled widespread disputes and legal challenges.
"This failure to pass a clear safeguard is nothing short of a deliberate assault on Nigeria’s democracy," Obi stated.
"By rejecting these essential transparency measures, they are eroding the very foundation of credible elections."
He contrasted Nigeria's position with other African countries that have embraced electronic transmission to strengthen democratic processes, accusing the nation's leaders of lagging behind and dragging the continent backward.
Obi accused elites of resisting reforms to serve "sinister ambitions" rather than the public good, warning that such actions affirm international criticisms labeling Nigeria as corrupt or "disgraced."
Obi urged Nigerians to prepare to "rise up, resist, and reject" this backward trajectory through legitimate means, while calling on the international community to recognize the "groundwork for continued future electoral manipulation."
The decision has drawn sharp backlash from opposition parties, including the PDP, ADC, and NNPP, who jointly condemned it as anti-democratic and an attempt to preserve loopholes for rigging.
Critics argue mandatory real-time transmission would boost trust by preventing alterations during manual collation.
The bill now heads to a conference committee to harmonize differences with the House of Representatives version, which reportedly supported stronger electronic provisions.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com