PDP Chieftain Reacts to Senate's Alleged Removal of Compulsory E-Election Results Transmission
A gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has strongly condemned the Senate’s decision to remove electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act, describing it as a calculated attempt to undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
Ajadi warned that the move represents a dangerous step backward for Nigeria’s democratic process and could reopen the door to widespread electoral malpractice.
The PDP chieftain made this known in a press statement issued to journalists on Friday in Ibadan, reacting to the Senate’s recent rejection of provisions allowing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit election results from polling units.
According to him, the Senate’s action creates loopholes that could be exploited to manipulate election outcomes, thereby eroding public trust in the electoral system.
“Nigerians are deeply uncomfortable with the rejection of electronic transmission of results by the Senate,” Ajadi stated. “Removing this provision from the Electoral Act or making it optional sends a very wrong signal and raises serious concerns about the integrity of future elections.”
He further called on the Senate President and lawmakers to urgently revisit the amendment, insisting that electronic transmission of results should be mandatory, not discretionary.
“The Electronic Transmission of Results must be compulsory for INEC. The alleged decision of the Senate is not only ambiguous, it is dragging Nigeria back into the stone ages,” he said.
Ajadi stressed that allowing ambiguity in the Electoral Act could lead to a return to the era of ballot box snatching, result manipulation, and violence at polling units.
“We do not want ambiguity. Election results must be electronically transmitted directly from polling units across the country,” he emphasized. “Lawmakers should be supporting INEC to deliver free, fair, credible, and widely accepted elections.”
He concluded by urging the National Assembly to prioritize the will of the Nigerian people over political interests, noting that only a clear and unambiguous Electoral Act can guarantee that those who emerge as leaders are truly elected by the people.
“The Senate must ensure that Nigeria is governed by leaders duly chosen by the electorate. This can only be achieved by tidying up the Electoral Act and removing every form of uncertainty from its provisions,” Ajadi said.
Source: Legit.ng
