ADC Blasts Senate Over Rejection of Mandatory E-Transmission of Results
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a stinging condemnation of the Nigerian Senate following its decision to reject key amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly the provision that sought to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
In a statement released on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party described the Senate’s action as a “deliberate attempt to weaken democratic safeguards” and a calculated move to pave the way for electoral manipulation in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
The controversy stems from the Senate’s recent vote against a proposed amendment to Clause 70, Subsection 3 of the Electoral Amendment Bill.
The clause was designed to make electronic transmission of results compulsory, a measure widely advocated by civil society groups to curb result tampering at collation centers.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had clarified that the chamber did not outrightly reject the technology but chose to maintain the current provision in the Electoral Act, which gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) discretion over the mode of transmission.
However, the ADC argues that this discretion was the very loophole exploited during the 2023 elections.
The ADC did not mince words, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of exploiting its parliamentary majority to “foist logistical nightmares” on INEC.
The statement asserted that the net sum of this disgraceful action is that the APC has exploited its majority status in the National Assembly to tamper with the law and lay the ground for all manner of malpractice.
Beyond electronic transmission, the party also criticized the Senate for shooting down other proposed reforms, such as allowing the electronic download of voter cards from the INEC website, reducing the notice period for elections, and shortening the timeline for the publication of candidates from 150 days to 60 days.
Describing the move as a betrayal of public trust, the ADC called on Nigerians to resist what it termed a “retrogressive act.”
The party specifically urged the Conference Committee on the Electoral Act, which will harmonize the versions passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, to reject the Senate’s submission.
Abdullahi added a plea for the Conference Committee to pass amendments that align with democratic principles that truly reflect the will and aspirations of the Nigerian people.
The party warned that by rejecting these safeguards, the APC-led Senate has signaled a lack of confidence in winning free and fair elections, choosing instead to cling to power by all means.
