The #FixPolitics initiative has condemned the Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results, describing the move as an “assault on electoral integrity and public trust.”
Reacting to the development in a statement, Executive Director of #FixPolitics Africa, Anthony Ubani, said Nigerians were justified in their anger, arguing that the handling of the Electoral Act amendment reflected confusion and contradiction within the legislature.
According to Ubani, the bill was passed “under a cloud of dispute,” with some senators allegedly claiming that the version announced as approved differed from what they voted for.
“This is grave, dangerous and unacceptable in any democracy that takes itself seriously,” he said, adding that the controversy echoed earlier allegations that a tax law passed by the National Assembly was altered after approval.
He warned that repeated inconsistencies in lawmaking erode public confidence and weaken democratic institutions.
Read also: Nigeria Senate backs real‑time election result transmission after outcry – Reuters
“When laws can be altered after voting, the rule of law collapses. When lawmakers themselves dispute the content of laws, citizens lose faith,” Ubani stated.
The group criticised the Senate’s refusal to make electronic transmission of results mandatory, saying the decision ignored years of citizen advocacy and lessons from previous elections.
“Nigerians did not ask for loopholes; they asked for certainty. They did not ask for discretion; they asked for safeguards,” the statement said, describing the outcome as “ambiguity by design.”
#FixPolitics also faulted what it called institutional failure, noting that despite the resources committed to maintaining the National Assembly, the Senate appeared unable to pass a clear and uncontested law on a matter central to Nigeria’s democracy.
The initiative accused lawmakers of prioritising political advantage over electoral credibility, warning that such actions could further undermine public trust at a time of economic hardship and insecurity.
It therefore called for the immediate release of the exact provisions passed by the Senate, a transparent legislative review to address alleged discrepancies, and accountability from Senate leadership.
“Nigeria’s democracy cannot survive on half-truths and broken processes,” the group said, urging the National Assembly to take the lead in protecting electoral integrity.
It stressed that lawmakers must either align with citizens’ demands for credible elections or risk being judged harshly by history, adding that anything short of restoring mandatory electronic transmission of results amounts to a betrayal of public trust.
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