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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched a blistering attack on the Senate over its revised stance on the real-time electronic transmission of election results, describing the latest amendment as a “backdoor attempt” to sabotage electoral transparency while pretending to bow to public pressure.

In a strongly worded press release signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the opposition party said the Senate’s introduction of an addendum permitting manual transmission where technology is deemed to have failed is “nothing more than being clever by half.”

The Senate had earlier reconsidered its position on electronic transmission, only to insert a clause allowing manual transmission in the event of technological failure, a move the PDP insists undermines the very essence of electoral reform.

 

According to the party, manual transmission is already adequately provided for under the Electoral Act and does not require further legislative reinforcement. The agitation for electronic transmission, it stressed, is about instituting a second-layer authentication mechanism to prevent the alteration of results between polling units and collation centres, a malpractice the PDP described as the “historic bane” of Nigeria’s electoral process.

The party questioned the logic behind claims that technology could fail during transmission after successfully handling accreditation throughout the voting process.

“It is inconceivable that the same BVAS technology which successfully undertakes accreditation throughout an election would suddenly become unreliable for the transmission of results and accreditation data arising from that same exercise,” the statement read.

In one of its most pointed criticisms, the PDP alleged that the caveat inserted by the Senate reflects “humongous fear” among lawmakers opposed to full electronic transmission, singling out Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The party said it “reasonably suspects” that Akpabio remains haunted by his 2019 election loss, which it linked to the deployment of technology aimed at curbing overvoting. It warned that Nigeria’s democratic future should not be sacrificed on the altar of “narrow personal and political interests.”

The PDP further urged members of the Conference Committee harmonising the bill to adopt the version passed by the House of Representatives as the final position, insisting that anything short of full real-time electronic transmission would amount to a betrayal of public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party cautioned that lawmakers who oppose electronic transmission risk being remembered unfavourably should Nigeria’s democracy falter.

“Should this democracy fail, the names of Senator Akpabio and all Senators who voted against electronic transmission will undoubtedly occupy a conspicuous chapter in the book of infamy,” the statement declared.

Calling on Nigerians to remain vigilant, the PDP described the current moment as decisive for the survival of credible elections in the country.

“This is no time for excuses. This hard-won democracy is far too valuable to be left in the hands of politicians alone,” the party stated.

The controversy over electronic transmission continues to generate sharp divisions within the National Assembly, with civil society groups and opposition parties warning that any dilution of technological safeguards could erode public confidence in the 2027 polls.

Full text of the PDP statement reads:

The Senate’s New Position on Electronic Transmission Is Being Clever by Half

We have taken note of the outcome of the Senate’s reconsideration of its earlier position on the real-time electronic transmission of election results, wherein an addendum was introduced to permit manual transmission where technology is said to fail. We hold the firm view that this addendum is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to achieve the same objective as the earlier outright rejection, while pretending to align with the wishes of the Nigerian people.

Manual transmission is already sufficiently provided for under the Electoral Act. The current agitation for electronic transmission is aimed at introducing a second-layer authentication mechanism that prevents the alteration of results en route to collation centres-a malpractice that has historically been the bane of Nigeria’s electoral process. Furthermore, it is inconceivable that the same BVAS technology which successfully undertakes accreditation throughout an election would suddenly become unreliable for the transmission of results and accreditation data arising from that same exercise.

This caveat is a clear indication of the humongous fear being harboured by Senators opposed to electronic transmission, particularly Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom we reasonably suspect remains haunted by the ghost of his 2019 election loss, occasioned by the deployment of technology to curb overvoting. They must be reminded that Nigeria is bigger than their narrow personal and political interests.

We therefore urge members of the Conference Committee to adopt the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives as the harmonised position, if indeed they are committed to delivering credible elections in 2027. They must rise above the instincts of politicians fixated on the next election and instead focus on the sustenance of democracy and the protection of future generations. Should this democracy fail, the names of Senator Akpabio and all Senators who voted against electronic transmission will undoubtedly occupy a conspicuous chapter in the book of infamy.

We also call on Nigerians to remain resolute in their demand for the real-time electronic transmission of election results. This is no time for excuses. This hard-won democracy is far too valuable to be left in the hands of politicians alone.

Signed:

Comrade Ini Ememobong, mnipr
National Publicity Secretary
Peoples Democratic Party
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