‘Akpabio Is A Scumbag’, El-Rufai Slams Senate President Over Electoral Law Amendment

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has openly criticised Senate President Godswill Akpabio, calling him a “scumbag” over the Senate’s rejection of a proposed Electoral Act amendment that would have made real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory.

Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, El-Rufai blamed Akpabio for the decision, saying, “It’s not the Senate that is the problem. Akpabio, who is a scumbag by every definition, is the problem. He is nothing but a lapdog. The senators will have to come together and protest and prevent that from happening when they reconvene.”

Responding to suggestions that his remarks were too harsh, El-Rufai added, “I do not consider him distinguished. We’ve known each other since the 1990s. He knows why.”

The uproar followed the Senate’s decision to reject the mandatory real-time transmission election result proposal, while retaining the existing discretionary provision that allows the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine how results are transmitted. Critics have warned that rejecting the mandatory real-time transmission proposal could reduce transparency and limit the effectiveness of electoral safeguards ahead of the 2027 general election.

In response to backlash from across Nigeria’s political spectrum, Senate President Akpabio defended the amendment, saying real-time mandates could pose challenges in areas with poor Internet network coverage or insecurity. He added that INEC should determine the mode and timing of result transmission within the framework of the law.

The Senate is expected to reconvene this Tuesday to discuss the amendment further amid calls for lawmakers to revisit the changes.