Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has criticised the Senate over its decision on electronic transmission of election results following nationwide agitation, describing it as an insult on the collective intelligence of Nigerians.
Ezekwesili said the clause undermines the collective will of
voters, arguing that in a functioning democracy, elected officials must not
place themselves above the electorate.
Posting on X, she warned that the provision creates a
loophole that could be exploited to manipulate future elections, including the
2027 general polls.
Ezekwesili further accused the Senate leadership, under
Senate President Godswill Akpabio of signalling to Nigerians that their votes
may not count, a move she said could deepen public distrust in the electoral
process.
She cautioned that Nigerians’ patience is wearing thin and
urged lawmakers to reconsider their actions, stressing that transparency is
essential to sustaining democracy.
According to her, it is unwise for elected officials to
“play with fire” by undermining public confidence in elections.
She wrote: “That cock-eyed provision on Electoral
Transmission that the @NGRSenate just passed is an insult on the collective
intelligence of Nigerians.
“In a functioning democracy, the Elected can NEVER be
greater than the Collective Will of those who elected them.
“Never. The Senate President and his collaborators are
brazenly giving Nigerians a heads-up that our votes will not count because that
vexing clause they passed is their loophole to RIG the 2027 elections.
“Again, kudos to the lawmakers @HouseNGR that boldly passed
a Bill which legally mandates electronic transmission of polling units results
in real time with this simple and HONEST text:
“Clause 60(3): “INEC shall electronically transmit election
results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal in real time and
such transmission shall be done simultaneously with the physical collation of
results.
“We salute our members of the Nigerian House of
Representatives for totally aligning with the Citizens’ quest for Electoral
Transparency.
“The REAL-TIME question is whether the Akpabio-led Senate is
ready for the Nigerians who have run out of patience with their shenanigans.
“The answer is in the hands of the Senators. It is not wise
to play with fire. Transparency is always better.”
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