Election results: Atiku slams Senate over rejection of real-time electronic transmission

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Nigerian Senate’s rejection of real-time electronic transmission of election results, describing the move as a deliberate setback to electoral transparency and democratic credibility.

Atiku, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said the decision represents a “grave assault” on public trust and undermines ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja, the former presidential candidate argued that the Senate’s action signals a preference for opacity over accountability at a time when many democracies are adopting technology to improve election integrity.

According to him, real-time electronic transmission of results is a critical democratic safeguard that reduces human interference, limits manipulation, and ensures that votes cast at polling units are accurately reflected in final outcomes.

“To reject it is to cling to a system that has historically enabled tampering, disputes and lack of transparency,” he said.

Atiku further criticised the Senate’s decision to retain provisions from the 2022 Electoral Act, warning that the move raises concerns about the commitment of the political establishment to conduct free, fair and credible elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.

He alleged a pattern of resistance to reforms that promote transparency, while ambiguities that favour incumbents are preserved.

The former vice president called on Nigerians, civil society groups, the media and the international community to demand improvements that would guarantee transparent, verifiable and credible elections.

“Nigeria deserves elections that are beyond manipulation. Anything less is a betrayal of democracy,” the statement added.