By Emmanuel Abi Couson
The opposition African Democratic Congress ( ADC) has berated the 10th Senate for trying to deceive Nigerians by subtly passing a bill that 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.
This is disclosed in a follow up press statement by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary.
According to the statement “the African Democratic Congress (ADC) wishes to issue a clarification and follow up to its earlier statement on the Electoral Amendment Bill passed by the 10th Senate.
Our initial reaction was based on early media reports which indicated that the Senate had passed a version of the Electoral Amendment Bill that guarantees the real time transmission of election results, a long standing safeguard necessary to protect the votes of Nigerians and preserve electoral integrity.
However, 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.
In light of these facts now on record, the ADC wishes to clarify its position.
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 credibility of elections rests not on assurances but on clear, unambiguous legal guarantees that protect the will of the people.
The ADC therefore maintains that only an Electoral Amendment Act that unequivocally mandates real time electronic transmission of results, without exceptions capable of abuse, can command public confidence and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
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 ADC remains committed to standing with Nigerians in defense of transparent, credible, and verifiable elections”
