By Obinna Uballa
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the Senate’s rejection of a proposal to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory, describing the decision as a deliberate move to undermine electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, Obi said the refusal to provide a clear legal safeguard for real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results amounted to “an unforgivable act of electoral manipulation” and a direct assault on Nigeria’s democracy.
Obi said he had initially delayed commenting on the development due to the reported killing of over 150 people in Kwara State, but noted that the issue of electoral integrity remained critical to the country’s stability and future.
“This failure to pass a clear safeguard is nothing short of a deliberate assault on Nigeria’s democracy,” he said. “By rejecting these essential transparency measures, they are eroding the very foundation of credible elections.”
He questioned the motive behind the Senate’s decision, asking whether government existed to serve the people or to “institutionalise chaos” for the benefit of a few.
According to Obi, disputes and controversies that trailed the 2023 general elections were largely linked to the refusal to fully implement electronic transmission of results, a development he said had weakened public confidence in the electoral process.
“Nigerians were fed excuses of a fabricated ‘glitch’ that never existed. While many African nations are adopting electronic transmission to strengthen their democracies, Nigeria shamelessly lags behind,” he stated.
The former Anambra State governor argued that resistance to electoral reforms by political leaders was dragging the country backwards and entrenching disorder in the governance system.
“By rejecting mandatory electronic transmission – a critical safeguard for electoral integrity – we are entrenching disorder aimed at perpetuating confusion according to the whims of a small clique,” he said.
Obi also referenced past international criticisms of Nigeria’s corruption and governance challenges, saying recent actions by leaders were reinforcing negative global perceptions about the country.
He warned that Nigerians would not tolerate a repeat of what he described as the “criminality” witnessed in the 2023 elections during the next electoral cycle.
“Let there be no illusion, the criminality witnessed in 2023 will not be tolerated in 2027. Nigerians everywhere must start getting ready to rise up, resist, and reject the backward trajectory, legitimately and decisively reclaim our country,” he said.
Obi further called on the international community to pay attention to what he described as groundwork for future electoral manipulation, warning that it posed a threat to Nigeria’s democracy and development.
