• Says APC Plans to Rig 2027 Election,
By Abiola Olawale
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised the Senate for blocking a proposed provision of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that would mandate the Electronic transmission of results.
The party declared that the decision made by the Senate is capable of undermining the credibility, transparency, and integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the Senate’s action as a deliberate attempt to weaken democratic safeguards and prepare the ground for electoral manipulation ahead of future elections.
The ADC particularly faulted the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of election results, which it said was critical to protecting the will of Nigerian voters.
“Foremost amongst these is the rejection of electronic transmission of election results, a move that clearly signals yet another attempt by the APC to undermine the will of the Nigerian people and manipulate future elections,” the party stated.
The opposition party also criticised the Senate’s decision to vote against other proposed reforms, including provisions that would have allowed electronic download of voter cards from the Independent National Electoral Commission website, reduced the notice period for elections, and shortened the timeline for the publication of candidates from 150 days to 60 days.
According to the ADC, the rejected provisions were designed to strengthen electoral safeguards and restore public confidence in the system.
“Proposed provisions were intended to provide the necessary safeguards against electoral abuse and to restore voter confidence in the electoral process,” the statement read.
However, the party accused the Senate of deliberately tampering with the law to create opportunities for malpractice and impose logistical challenges on INEC.
“What the Senate has done amounts to tampering with the laws to expand opportunities for rigging and foisting logistical nightmares on INEC that will make future elections even less efficient.
“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.
“By rejecting critical reforms meant to improve the conduct of elections, the APC has betrayed its lack of confidence and has shown its desire to cling to power by all means — including by legislative tampering,” the statement noted.
