Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has strongly criticised the Senate’s decision to exclude mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the amended Electoral Act, describing the move as a setback for Nigeria’s democratic progress.
Reacting in a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, Obi said the decision undermines efforts to strengthen transparency and credibility in future elections, warning that it could erode public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.
The Senate had on Wednesday passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill following extensive debate and engagement with stakeholders, but rejected a proposal seeking to make electronic transmission of results compulsory.
The rejected amendment to Clause 60(3) had been widely supported by civil society groups and electoral reform advocates as a key measure for credible elections.
Obi argued that the decision risks repeating controversies that trailed past elections, particularly disputes arising from the handling and transmission of results during the 2023 general election.
“Let us all pause and pray for the souls of over 150 innocent lives lost in Kwara yesterday.
“This tragedy is precisely why I delayed commenting on the outrageous and shameful news surrounding our electoral system.
“The Senate’s blatant rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results is an unforgivable act of electoral manipulation ahead of 2027.
“This failure to pass a clear safeguard is nothing short of a deliberate assault on Nigeria’s democracy.
“By rejecting these essential transparency measures, they are eroding the very foundation of credible elections.
“One must ask: Does the government exist to ensure order and justice, or to institutionalise chaos? Is its purpose to serve the people, or to fulfil the sinister ambitions of a select few?” he said.
According to him, many of the tensions and legal battles that followed the polls stemmed from gaps in the result transmission process.
He expressed concern that Nigeria, often described as Africa’s largest democracy, appears to be slow in adopting technological safeguards already being deployed in several other African countries to enhance electoral transparency.
The former Anambra State governor also urged political leaders and stakeholders to prioritise reforms capable of strengthening democratic institutions and restoring citizens’ trust in governance.
Calling for sober reflection, Obi stressed the need for Nigeria’s leadership to focus on building credible democratic systems that would inspire confidence among citizens, especially young people concerned about the country’s future.
“The turmoil, disputes, and manipulations that plagued past elections, especially the 2023 general election, stemmed directly from the refusal to fully implement electronic transmission.
“Nigerians were fed excuses of a fabricated “glitch” that never existed. While numerous African nations adopt electronic transmission to bolster democracy, Nigeria, the supposed giant of Africa, shamelessly lags behind, dragging the continent backwards.
“We are wasting time hosting conferences and drafting papers on Nigeria’s problems while we, the leaders and elite, are the real issue. Our deliberate resistance to reform is pulling the country backwards, dragging us toward a primitive state of governance.
“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.
“Have we not reached a point where we must think seriously about the future of our country and our children? Should leadership not focus on building a credible, orderly, and livable nation for the next generation, rather than one permanently ensnared in chaos?
“When the former Prime Minister of the UK, aware of our history, labelled us “fantastically corrupt,” we reacted defensively. When President Donald Trump declared us a “now disgraced nation,” we were incensed,” Obi stated.
He further called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and actively participate in democratic processes to safeguard the integrity of future elections, while urging the international community to continue encouraging reforms that promote credible elections and democratic stability in the country.
The Senate’s decision has since generated mixed reactions among political actors and civil society organisations, with ongoing debates over the best approach to ensuring transparency and efficiency in Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the next general election cycle.
“Yet, with every act of resistance against transparency and reform, we continue to affirm their claims. Those responsible will later point fingers at others for harming the country while they quietly suffocate its potential.
“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 from the clutches of deliberate malevolence.
“The International community must take heed of this groundwork for continued future electoral manipulation, endangering our democracy and development. A new Nigeria is POssible but we must all stand and fight for it,” he said.
