APC: We Are Not Panicking Ahead of 2027 Despite Senate’s Position on e-Transmission

• N’Assembly’s legislative aides drum support for Tinubu’s re-election

ªDickson tells senate c’ttee to adopt house version of electoral bill

• Only e-transmission can strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, says ADC

•Senate’s loophole has set stage for fresh election disputes, EiE warns

• Coalition of CSOs raises red flag on senate’s version of electoral bill

Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

In spite of the refusal by the Senate to enshrine real-time, mandatory electronic transmission of election results into Nigeria’s electoral law, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Group Council has said, contrary to insinuations, the ruling party was not panicking ahead of the 2027 elections.

This was as a member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Seriake Dickson, has called on other members of the committee to adopt the House of Representatives’ version of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill in its entirety, warning that any deviation could weaken the integrity of Nigeria’s elections.

Also, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has clarified its stand on the amendment, stating that only real-time electronic transmission of results, without exceptions capable of abuse, could command public confidence and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

At the same time, a civil society group, Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE), has warned that the upper chamber’s decision on electronic transmission of results could plunge the country into “another cycle of disputed elections.”

Similarly, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the aegis of Speak Out Africa Initiative (SOAI), has raised red flag over what it described as “the deliberate attempt by the Senate to muddle up the integrity” of future elections in the country.

On Monday, a coalition of civil society organisations called on the National Assembly committee on Electoral Act Amendment Bill to adopt the House’s version of the electoral bill, mandating electronic transmission of electoral results ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, when the Senate held an emergency plenary on Tuesday, the red chamber refused to mandate e-transmission, opting instead for a controversial amendment that left the process to the discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking after the inauguration of APC National Assembly Legislative Aides Support Group (ANALAG), the Director General of APC Support Group Council, Sadiq  Jikta, insisted that it was the opposition that was panicking and not the ruling party.

He said, “No, APC is not panicking. It is the opposition that are panicking because they feel APC being the party in power will muzzle power with them.  “We are doing everything transparently, and that’s why we’re giving a free playing ground for every party to participate. You know, in terms of this electronic transmission, it is left for the National Assembly to do their job.

“We believe in whatever position the National Assembly comes up with, we are ready and prepared. The most important is the grassroots and we are concentrating on the grass and grassroot mobilization.”

Jikta noted that the support group was also pushing for a seat at the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party ahead of the national convention of the party.

He explained that the constitution of the party didn’t capture support groups, but expressed hope that with the ongoing amendment of the party constitution, the support groups would be captured, being the backbone of the party.

Jikta noted: “I think it’s an opportunity now, as the party has set up a constitutional review committee, they have gone up to all the six geopolitical zones for public hearing. So we, the APC Support Group Council, have gone to one of the zones and make our presentation.”

Earlier, the National Coordinator, Ms. Ayoola Fakunle, said it had never happened before in the history of the National Assembly that legislative aides come together to support their principals for reelection.

She noted that they  have supported them  by employing them and it was high time they, too, gave back to them.

“Since we are in the state assembly, local government assembly and national assembly, we can do a lot. We can move mountains for them and at the same time, our president, the father of the nation, is a former senator, we have every reason to make sure we support his re-election,”Fakunle noted.

Dickson Tells Senate Committee to Adopt House Version of Electoral Bill

A member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Seriake Dickson, has called on other members of the Committee to adopt the House of Representatives’ version of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill in its entirety, warning that any deviation could weaken the integrity of Nigeria’s elections.

The senator representing Bayelsa West in the 10th National Assembly, made the appeal on yesterday while addressing journalists.

Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, said the House’s version accurately reflected the consensus reached after nearly two years of extensive legislative work and stakeholder engagement.

He said, “The main issue I want to talk about is already out there in the public space. For almost two years, as a member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, we worked extensively on amendments to the electoral laws.

“We held workshops, joint sessions with the House of Representatives, meetings with INEC, the technical committee, consultants and other stakeholders, as well as public hearings in Abuja and Lagos.”

According to him, the process produced a broad agreement, particularly with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on a framework to regulate the conduct of elections going forward.

“We all agreed, crucially with INEC, on a framework that would regulate the conduct of elections in this country moving forward,” he said.

Dickson explained that the legislative process was disrupted by personal tragedy following the sudden death of his state’s deputy governor, which kept him away from Senate proceedings.

“Yesterday was the first time I attended a Senate sitting since his burial. Despite my personal state, I attended the emergency session because of its importance,” he said.

ADC: Only e-Transmission Can Strengthen Nigeria’s Democracy

The ADC, has clarified its stand on the amendment by the senate on the electoral laws stating that only real-time electronic transmission of results, without exceptions capable of abuse, could command public confidence and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

The party made the clarification in a statement by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, yesterday.

The ADC said the credibility of elections rested not on assurances but on clear, unambiguous legal guarantees that could protect the will of the people.

It urged the National Assembly to immediately address and remove any provision that dilutes the safeguard and to align the final version of the Bill with the recommendations of the Conference Committee that called for e-transmission of results.

It also reiterated its commitment to standing with Nigerians in defence of transparent, credible, and verifiable elections.

“Only an Electoral Amendment Act that unequivocally mandates real-time electronic transmission of results, without exceptions capable of abuse, can command public confidence and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

“Any provision in our electoral laws that creates ambiguity, discretion, or technical loopholes around the transmission and collation of election results fundamentally undermines the integrity of the electoral process and cannot be accepted in good conscience,” the statement said.

EiE: Loophole Sets Stage for Disputes

A civil society group, Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE), has warned that the upper chamber’s decision on electronic transmission of results could plunge the country into “another cycle of disputed elections.”

The group, in a statement, described Senate’s reversal of its earlier position on electronic transmission as a “cosmetic amendment” that preserved the same vulnerabilities that trailed the 2023 general election.

Executive Director of EiE Nigeria, Ufuoma Nnamdi-Udeh, said Senate’s action fell short of public expectations for comprehensive reform.

According to her, by making manual results the primary source in the event of transmission failure, the Senate has effectively legitimised a loophole that could be exploited in politically sensitive situations.

She contended that Nigeria’s experience in 2023 exposed how technological gaps and delayed uploads created uncertainty and disputes during collation.

Rather than eliminate such gaps, she said, the new amendment entrenched them in law.

EiE argued that real-time transmission narrows the window between voting and declaration of results, thereby reducing opportunities for tampering.

Coalition Of CSOs Flashes Red Flag on Senate’s Version of Electoral Bill 2026

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the aegis of Speak Out Africa Initiative (SOAI), has flashed red flag over what it described as “the deliberate attempt by the Nigerian Senate to muddle up with the integrity” of future elections in the country.

SOAI, however, rejected outright the amendment of the Electoral Act 2026 by the Senate to accommodate electronic transmission of election results, with a caveat that the Senate version of the Bill has clearly created loopholes for manipulation of election results.

The coalition of CSOs pointedly said the Senate version was a major setback to Nigerians’ demands for transparent, credible and technology-enabled elections.

The CSOs specifically warned that retaining Form EC8A as the primary evidence when electronic systems fail has clearly opened the process to ambiguity, manipulation, disputes, and undermined public trust in the electoral system.

SOAI, therefore, urged Nigerians to focus attention on the 24-member Conference and Harmonisation Committee of the National Assembly to do the needful by adopting the House of Representatives version of the Bill. The coalition further demanded live telecast of the deliberations of the Harmonisation Committee to enable citizens follow and hold lawmakers accountable.