Electoral Act Amendment: Opposition Blasts Senate Over Electronic Results Transmission
Major opposition political parties in Nigeria have jointly condemned the Senate’s decision to reject a proposal seeking to make real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units mandatory.
In a joint press statement issued on Wednesday, spokespersons of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) described the Senate’s action as retrogressive, anti-people, and capable of undermining Nigeria’s democratic progress.
The parties expressed deep concern that the amendment to the Electoral Act 2022, recently passed by the Senate, could roll back democratic gains and weaken public confidence in the electoral process. They noted that the decision has already attracted widespread criticism from Nigerians across political and social divides.
Questioning the rationale behind the move, the opposition parties pointed out what they described as a contradiction by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which they said currently relies on technology for electronic registration of its members nationwide but resists the use of technology for transmitting election results.
According to the statement, the APC’s control of both chambers of the National Assembly raises serious questions about its intentions, especially ahead of forthcoming elections. The opposition parties alleged that the ruling party is apprehensive about facing the electorate in a free and fair contest and is therefore determined to preserve loopholes that could allow manipulation of election outcomes.
They further criticised Senators for failing to rise above partisan interests, stressing that the legislature has a constitutional responsibility to protect democracy and act in the best interest of the Nigerian people.
The statement recalled that during litigation arising from the last general elections, courts — including the Supreme Court — ruled that electronic transmission of results was not mandatory under the existing Electoral Act 2022. This, the parties argued, exposed a legislative gap that required urgent correction to prevent similar disputes in future elections.
They emphasised that making electronic transmission mandatory would enhance transparency, strengthen public trust, and provide clear legislative guidance for judicial interpretation. Instead, they said, the Senate’s decision has effectively returned Nigeria to “square one.”
Calling on the Conference Committee of the National Assembly, the opposition parties urged its members to adopt the House of Representatives’ position in favour of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results.
They appealed to lawmakers to act as statesmen rather than politicians driven by electoral calculations, warning that the passage of anti-democratic laws could have grave consequences for the country’s democratic future.
The statement was jointly signed by the National Publicity Secretaries of the PDP, ADC, and NNPP.
