By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has clarified its earlier position on the Electoral Amendment Bill passed by the 10th Senate, warning that the legislation, contrary to initial impressions, still contains provisions capable of undermining real-time electronic transmission of election results.
In another statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on Tuesday, the party said its initial reaction was based on early media reports suggesting that the Senate had approved a version of the bill guaranteeing real-time electronic transmission of results—a long-standing demand by Nigerians and civil society groups aimed at safeguarding electoral integrity.
However, the ADC said further scrutiny of the bill revealed the inclusion of what it described as “controversial discretionary clauses” that weaken the guarantee of electronic transmission and could reopen avenues for manipulation of election results.
“Subsequent and more detailed reports have since revealed that the Bill, as passed, contains a controversial provision which introduces discretionary clauses capable of weakening the guarantee of real time electronic transmission and opening the door to the intentional manipulation of election results,” the party stated.
The ADC stressed that any ambiguity or discretion in the law governing the transmission and collation of election results fundamentally threatens the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“Any provision in our electoral laws that creates ambiguity, discretion, or technical loopholes around the transmission and collation of election results fundamentally undermines the integrity of the electoral process and cannot be accepted in good conscience,” the statement said.
According to the party, the credibility of elections must rest on clear and enforceable legal guarantees, not assurances that can be easily abused.
“The credibility of elections rests not on assurances but on clear, unambiguous legal guarantees that protect the will of the people,” the ADC added.
The party maintained that only an Electoral Amendment Act that unequivocally mandates real-time electronic transmission of results—without exceptions capable of manipulation—can restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.
The clarification comes against the backdrop of widespread protests across major cities, including Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Ibadan, where civil society organisations (CSOs), youth groups and pro-democracy activists took to the streets to oppose the Senate’s earlier position on electronic transmission of results.
The protests were also amplified online, with sustained digital campaigns calling on the National Assembly to fully adopt real-time electronic transmission as a legal requirement. Prominent political figures, former public office holders and rights activists joined the agitation, warning that any dilution of the electronic transmission clause could compromise the 2027 general elections.
Under mounting public pressure, the Senate announced a reconsideration of its position and subsequently introduced amendments that it said addressed public concerns. However, critics argue that the inclusion of discretionary clauses allowing manual processes in certain circumstances effectively defeats the purpose of electronic transmission.
The ADC aligned itself with this view, urging the National Assembly to urgently remove any provisions that dilute the safeguard of real-time electronic transmission.
“We urge the National Assembly to immediately address and remove any provision that dilutes this safeguard and to align the final version of the Bill with the recommendations of the Conference Committee that called for e-transmission of results,” the party said.
The party reiterated its commitment to standing with Nigerians in defence of transparent, credible and verifiable elections, insisting that the integrity of the electoral process must not be compromised.
The Electoral Amendment Bill is currently before a conference committee of the National Assembly, tasked with harmonising differences between the versions passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, the latter having adopted a more explicit provision mandating real-time electronic transmission of results.
