WE REJECT THE SENATE-PASSED ELECTORAL ACT AMMENDMENT BILL AND THE DENIAL OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS
We, at the Coalition for Peter Obi – CPO, strongly and outrightly reject the so-called electoral reform bill passed today by the Senate, particularly its deliberate rejection of the electronic transmission of election results. This decision represents a grave setback to Nigeria’s democratic journey and a clear signal that vested interests remain determined to preserve the loopholes that undermine credible elections.
Electronic transmission of results is not a luxury; it is a democratic safeguard. It enhances transparency, reduces human manipulation, curbs post-election alterations, and restores public confidence in the electoral process. By rejecting this provision, the Senate has chosen opacity over openness, regression over reform, and self-preservation over the collective will of the Nigerian people. In an era where technology drives accountability across the world, Nigeria cannot afford to remain trapped in analogue systems designed to facilitate rigging and electoral fraud.
This action exposes a troubling contradiction: lawmakers who publicly profess commitment to democracy while privately dismantling its foundations. Electoral reform without credible result transmission is hollow and dishonest. It fails to address the core problem Nigerians have consistently identified – manipulation between the polling unit and final collation. Any reform that does not prioritise the sanctity of the vote is, at best, cosmetic and, at worst, a calculated assault on the people’s sovereignty.
We therefore call on Nigerians, civil society organisations, youth groups, and the international democratic community to reject this bill in its present form and to demand a truly people-centred electoral framework. We urge the Senate, House of Representatives, the Presidency, and all relevant stakeholders to listen to the voice of the people and ensure that electronic transmission of results is fully entrenched in our electoral law.
Nigeria’s democracy must not be held hostage by fear of transparency. The will of the people is supreme, and any law that undermines it has no moral legitimacy.
Signed:
Jerry Okundaye Spokesperson/Publicity Secretary Coalition for Peter Obi – CPO
