CYRIL MBAH, Abuja
Major opposition political parties in Nigeria have condemned Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of results at polling units, describing it as a “retrogressive act” that could derail democracy.
In a joint statement after a meeting on Thursday, the parties expressed concern that the Senate’s action may have set Nigeria’s democracy back by decades, saying that the rejection has attracted widespread opposition and condemnation from Nigerians.
The parties, including the PDP, the ADC, and the NNPP, questioned why the ruling APC administration is averse to using technology to transmit results, despite deploying it for the ruling party’s own e-registration exercise.
In what appears like a blame game, the parties accused the APC of trying to preserve loopholes for electoral manipulation, citing the party’s awareness of its impending rejection at the forthcoming 2027 polls.
The statement urged Senators to rise above party sentiments and act in the best interest of democracy, but noted that they failed the people they represent by siding with anti-democratic forces.
According to the statement, the parties called on the conference committee to adopt the House of Representatives’ position on mandatory electronic transmission of results, prioritizing the people’s interests over politics.
The statement which was signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong (PDP), Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi (ADC), and Bamofin Ladipo Johnson (NNPP), urged the committee to act as statesmen, considering the next generation.
“The grave implications of this retrogressive act by the Senate has compelled us as spokespersons of the major opposition political parties to jointly address this issue, which is capable of derailing our hard-earned democracy.
“With this anti-people and anti-democratic action, we are concerned that going on, the APC-led Senate may have set Nigeria’s democracy back by many decades.
It is therefore not surprising that it has deservedly attracted widespread opposition and condemnation from Nigerians across all divides.
“We are at a loss as to why a party that is currently deploying technology to run an e-registration of their members across the country is averse to using technology to transmit results.
“We therfore harbour no doubts about the intention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is in firm control of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“They know Nigerians are fed up with them. They are aware of the rejection that awaits them at the forthcoming polls.
A free and fair election has therefore become a threat to them. This is why they have to preserve and protect loopholes that could aid the manipulation of the electoral process to their advantage,” the opposition parties alleged.
For a better society
Follow us across our platforms:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/championnewsonline/
Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/championnewsonline
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-newspapers-limited/
https://x.com/championnewsng/
You can also like and comment on our YouTube videos.
https://youtu.be/QIBfD1tT80w?si=R4Qf3so2LxYu3GC2
