Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has justified the Senate’s recent decision to remove the requirement for mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the amended Electoral Act.
The move has sparked widespread controversy, with opposition parties, civil society groups, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) calling for a reversal.
Speaking at the launch of former senator Effiong Bob’s book, The Burdens of Legislators in Nigeria, Akpabio defended the Senate’s decision, emphasizing that it is INEC’s responsibility, not the Senate’s, to determine how elections are conducted.
Akpabio cited infrastructure and security challenges as reasons for removing the mandatory provision:
“Real-time transmission means that in over nine states where networks are not working because of insecurity, there will be no election results. Nationally, it means that if the national grid collapses and no network is working, no election results will be valid.”
He also urged Nigerians to direct complaints to INEC, as the agency is tasked with deploying electoral technology:
“The timing, scoop, and modality rest with INEC, acting within the framework of the law enacted by the parliament and interpreted by the Supreme Court.”
Akpabio further criticized some critics, calling out a young party publicity secretary from Akwa Ibom, noting that while they speak loudly, they may not fully understand the process of lawmaking or election administration.
The Senate president’s remarks reinforce the distinction between lawmaking and election execution, stressing that the Senate sets the legal framework, while INEC applies the law operationally.
Be the first to comment