Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has condemned the Senate’s rejection of mandatory real-time transmission of election results, describing the move as an “unforgivable act of electoral manipulation” ahead of the 2027 general election.
Obi made the remarks in a post on X on Thursday, reacting to the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by the Senate.
Obi Mourns Kwara Victims
At the outset, Obi called for prayers for victims of the deadly attack in Kwara state, where more than 150 people were reportedly killed.
“Let us all pause and pray for the souls of over 150 innocent lives lost in Kwara yesterday,” he said.
According to him, the tragic incident partly explained his delayed reaction to the Senate’s action on the electoral bill. He stressed that the loss of lives underscored the broader failures of governance confronting the country.
‘Assault on Nigeria’s Democracy’
Meanwhile, turning to the senate’s decision, Obi accused lawmakers of deliberately weakening the electoral system by rejecting a key safeguard for credible elections.
“The senate’s blatant rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results is an unforgivable act of electoral manipulation ahead of 2027,” he said.
Furthermore, Obi described the move as a direct and calculated threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“This failure to pass a clear safeguard is nothing short of a deliberate assault on Nigeria’s democracy,” he added.
He argued that the decision would further erode public trust in the electoral process and weaken transparency.
Reference to 2023 Elections
Additionally, Obi linked the Senate’s action to controversies that followed the 2023 general election.
He said disputes and litigations from the poll resulted from the failure to fully implement the electronic transmission of results.
“The turmoil, disputes, and manipulations that plagued the 2023 general election stemmed directly from the refusal to fully implement electronic transmission,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that technical glitches caused the electoral challenges.
“Nigerians were fed excuses of a fabricated ‘glitch’ that never existed,” Obi added.
Nigeria Lagging Behind
Meanwhile, Obi said Nigeria continues to fall behind other African countries that have adopted technology to strengthen democratic processes.
“While numerous African nations adopt electronic transmission to bolster democracy, Nigeria shamelessly lags behind,” he said.
He blamed political leaders for resisting reform and dragging the country backwards.
“We, the leaders and elite, are the real issue,” Obi said.
Warning Ahead of 2027
Looking ahead, Obi warned that Nigerians would not tolerate a repeat of past electoral irregularities.
“Let there be no illusion, the criminality witnessed in 2023 will not be tolerated in 2027,” he said.
Consequently, he urged citizens to prepare to defend democracy through lawful and constitutional means.
Call to International Community
Finally, Obi called on the international community to pay attention to what he described as dangerous groundwork for future electoral manipulation.
“The international community must take heed of this deliberate attempt to endanger our democracy and development,” he said.
The Senate, however, maintains that it retained electronic transmission of results as provided in the 2022 Electoral Act, despite rejecting a provision that would have made real-time transmission mandatory.
