Opposition Condemns Senate’s Rejection Of Mandatory Electronic Transmission Of Election Results

Major opposition political parties have jointly condemned the Senate’s decision to reject the proposal for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units, describing the move as “anti-democratic” and “a setback for Nigeria’s democracy.”

The parties, in a joint statement signed by the National Publicity Secretaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate of deliberately undermining electoral transparency and public trust in the democratic process.

The statement, co-signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong for the Barr. Kabiru Turaki-led PDP, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi (ADC), and Bamofin Ladipo Johnson (NNPP), said the rejection of electronic transmission of results has “grave implications” for the future of elections in Nigeria.

“The grave implications of this retrogressive act by the Senate has compelled us, as spokespersons of the major opposition political parties, to jointly address this issue, which is capable of derailing our hard-earned democracy,” the statement read.

The opposition parties said the move by the Senate “sets Nigeria’s democracy back by many decades,” accusing the ruling APC of being afraid of credible elections.

“We harbour no doubts about the intention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is in firm control of the two chambers of the National Assembly. They know Nigerians are fed up with them. They are aware of the rejection that awaits them at the forthcoming polls. A free and fair election has therefore become a threat to them,” the parties stated.

They expressed dismay that a party capable of deploying technology for its internal e-registration of members could oppose similar technology for transmitting election results, saying this “exposes the hypocrisy of the APC.”

The opposition further faulted senators for failing to act beyond party sentiments, insisting that the legislature should have acted “in the best interest of democracy.”

“Regardless of their party affiliation, we would have expected the Senators to rise above party sentiments and act in the best interest of democracy, for which the legislature remains its most important symbol. But as usual, they failed the people they are supposed to represent,” the joint statement said.

Recalling past legal disputes, the parties noted that in the 2023 elections, the Supreme Court ruled that the Electoral Act 2022 did not make electronic transmission of results mandatory—an omission they said should have been corrected through the new amendment.

“This immediately signalled a lacuna that needed to be urgently fixed to ensure that future elections do not suffer the same fate,” they said, adding that real-time electronic transmission would “increase transparency, trust, and belief in the electoral process.”

They urged members of the National Assembly Conference Committee to adopt the House of Representatives’ position, which supports mandatory electronic transmission, describing it as the only way to “align with the will of Nigerians.”

“They should not act as politicians whose eyes and thoughts are only on the next elections, but as statesmen, who should have the next generation in mind,” the statement concluded.

The parties warned that failure to pass the amendment could “foist anti-democratic laws on Nigerians” and erode the progress made in electoral reforms since 1999.