A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has criticised the Senate over moves to remove electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act, warning that such a decision runs contrary to the wishes of Nigerians and threatens the credibility of future elections.
Ajadi described the Senate’s reported plan to exclude electronic transmission of results ahead of the 2027 general elections as a dangerous step that could reopen avenues for electoral manipulation and undermine public confidence in the democratic process.
In a statement made available to journalists on Friday, the PDP chieftain urged the Senate President and other lawmakers to urgently revisit the amendment, stressing that failure to do so would amount to dragging Nigeria backwards at a time the world is embracing digital solutions.
According to him, the removal of electronic transmission of results is unacceptable in a modern democracy, noting that Nigeria should not isolate itself from global best practices in election management.
Ajadi insisted that electronic transmission of results should be made compulsory for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rather than being left as an option.
“Nigerians are not comfortable with the idea that electronic transmission of results is either absent from the Electoral Act or left to discretion,” he said. “It should not be optional. Electronic transmission of results must be compulsory for INEC if we truly want credible elections.”
He warned that the alleged Senate decision sends a wrong signal to the electorate and could reverse the modest gains recorded in recent electoral reforms.
“The Senate, as representatives of the people, should be moving the country in the right direction by ensuring transparency and credibility in our elections,” Ajadi added. “We must not return to the era of ballot box snatching and disputed outcomes.”
He further called on lawmakers to remove all ambiguities from the Electoral Act and strengthen INEC’s capacity to deliver free, fair, credible and widely accepted elections.
“The only way to guarantee that those who govern this country are genuinely elected by the people is to tidy up the Electoral Act and fully embrace electronic transmission of results from polling units across the country,” Ajadi said.
