A former presidential candidate and political activist, Chief Peter Ameh, has faulted the Nigerian Senate for amending Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, describing the action as a “sham” that could weaken the integrity of the electoral process.
In a statement signed and issued in Abuja on Tuesday, Ameh said the Senate’s decision to permit electronic transmission of election results from polling units only “provided the system does not fail” represents cosmetic adjustments rather than meaningful electoral reform.
According to him, the new clause does not significantly differ from the earlier provision that drew criticism for being vague, noting that the condition attached to electronic transmission creates an “escape hatch” that could compromise transparency.
He cautioned that linking result transmission to possible system failure could create room for manipulation, especially at collation centres where manual interference might be justified on claims of technical problems.
Describing the amendment as a “Wayo twist,” Ameh alleged that the provision could be exploited by those in authority to sway election outcomes, thereby deepening public distrust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
“The more the law appears to change, the more it remains the same,” he said, stressing that Nigerians have consistently demanded mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal without conditions or loopholes.
Ameh further argued that the Senate’s move undermines public confidence, retains weaknesses that could enable result tampering, and puts the credibility of future elections, especially the 2027 general polls, at risk.
He accused lawmakers of ignoring the public’s demand for transparent, free, and fair elections.
The political activist also urged civil society organisations, the media, international observers, and other stakeholders to reject what he described as a half-hearted reform and step up advocacy for credible electoral justice.
“Our votes must count, and our democracy must not be held hostage by self-serving political interests,” he stated.
