What Senate Rejection Of Real-time Electronic Transmission Of Results Means – Atiku

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the decision of the Nigerian Senate to reject the real-time electronic transmission of election results.

He declared that the move signals an unwillingness to submit elections to public scrutiny.

According to him, such a move raises troubling questions about the commitment of the incumbent government to conducting free, fair, and credible elections in 2027.

Atiku, therefore, urged Nigerians to continue to demand a credible electoral process.

Naija News reports that the chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in a statement on Wednesday by his media office, added that the decision raises troubling questions about the commitment of the ruling political establishment to free, fair, and credible elections in 2027.

It would be recalled that reports on Wednesday suggested that the Senate had voted against a plan to make the electronic transmission of election results compulsory under Nigeria’s electoral law.

However, Atiku, in his reaction, said the move is an assault on electoral transparency.

He added that the decision of the Senate is an “ill-advised action” which “represents a grave setback for electoral reform and a calculated blow against transparency, credibility, and public trust in Nigeria’s democratic process.”

The former presidential candidate added that “At a time when democracies across the world are strengthening their electoral systems through technology, the Nigerian Senate has chosen to cling to opacity, protect loopholes, and preserve a system that has historically enabled manipulation, tampering, and post-election disputes.

“Real-time electronic transmission of results is not a partisan demand; it is a democratic safeguard. It reduces human interference, limits result manipulation, and ensures that the will of the voter—expressed at the polling unit—is faithfully reflected in the final outcome.

“To reject it, and adopt the 2022 provision on so-called electronic transmission of results is to signal an unwillingness to submit elections to public scrutiny.

“This decision raises troubling questions about the commitment of the ruling political establishment to free, fair, and credible elections in 2027.

“Nigerians cannot ignore the pattern: every reform that strengthens transparency is resisted, while every ambiguity that benefits incumbency is preserved.

“Atiku Abubakar has consistently maintained that democracy must evolve with time, technology, and the legitimate expectations of the people. Elections must be decided by voters—not by manual delays, backroom alterations, or procedural excuses.

“We call on Nigerians, civil society organizations, the media, and the international community to take note of this regression and to continue demanding an electoral system that reflects modern democratic standards.

“Nigeria deserves elections that are transparent, verifiable, and beyond manipulation. Anything less is an injustice to the electorate and a betrayal of democracy.”

Meanwhile, the Senate has dismissed reports claiming that it rejected the electronic transmission of election results while considering the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.

Naija News reports that the clarification was made by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, shortly after the upper chamber passed the bill following a marathon plenary session that lasted about four and a half hours.