The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, has sharply criticised the Nigerian Senate over controversies surrounding the amendment of the Electoral Act, accusing lawmakers of weakening hard-won electoral reforms.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television, Itodo expressed disappointment with how the Senate handled provisions related to the electronic transmission of election results, describing the development as a reversal of democratic progress.
Backlash Over Electronic Transmission Decision
Reacting to reports that the Senate voted against making real-time electronic transmission of results compulsory, the civil society leader said the move represents a serious blow to Nigeria’s electoral credibility.
According to Itodo, the decision undermines reforms introduced by the 2022 Electoral Act, which he said had significantly improved transparency in the electoral process.
“The Senate has completely betrayed the confidence Nigerians placed in it and discarded the gains achieved so far. This is a dangerous step backwards from the reforms enshrined in the 2022 Electoral Act,” he stated.
The controversy followed the Senate’s rejection of a proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, which sought to legally mandate electronic transmission of election results.
Senate President’s Clarification Sparks Debate
A few hours after reports of the rejection emerged, Senate President Godswill Akpabio clarified that the upper chamber did not reject electronic transmission while considering the amendment bill.
However, this explanation triggered further disagreement among electoral stakeholders and civil society organisations.
Itodo Disputes Senate’s Position
Disagreeing with Akpabio’s clarification, Itodo argued that the purpose of the amendment process was to clearly embed electronic transmission of results into law, in line with judicial rulings.
He explained that the Supreme Court, in its rulings following the 2023 elections, held that electronic transmission was not explicitly provided for under existing law and could not be introduced solely through INEC guidelines.
According to him, the National Assembly committees handling the amendment sought to close this legal gap by expressly inserting electronic transmission into the legislation.
“When the law says INEC should determine the procedure, INEC did so in its guidelines, but the court ruled that such provisions must be clearly stated in the law itself,” Itodo explained.
Claims of Misrepresentation
The YIAGA Africa boss further insisted that the report considered by lawmakers clearly provided for electronic transmission of results.
He said the House of Representatives had approved provisions that included electronic transmission and even referenced the INEC Result Viewing Portal (iREV).
“What was passed clearly stated that electronic transmission of results would form part of the process. So to suggest otherwise is misleading Nigerians,” he said.
Warnings Ahead of 2027 Elections
Beyond the dispute over result transmission, Itodo raised concerns about other amendments introduced by the Senate, warning that they could negatively affect preparations for the 2027 general elections.
He noted that some of the proposed changes compress election timelines in ways that could complicate logistics and overall planning.
According to him, if the Senate’s current position represents the final outcome of the amendment process, Nigerians deserve accountability.
“If this is the result of what they consider a thorough legislative exercise, then the Senate owes Nigerians a great deal of apologies,” Itodo concluded.
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