Electoral Bill has loopholes, mandate e-transmission of results — ADC to N’Assembly

*Insists discretionary clauses threaten credible polls, must be removed

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that certain discretionary provisions in the Electoral Amendment Bill passed by the 10th Senate could weaken the credibility of future elections, urging the National Assembly to delete any clauses that allow exceptions to the real-time electronic transmission of results.

In a follow-up statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, the party said its earlier reaction was based on initial media reports suggesting the bill guaranteed real-time transmission of results.

However, more detailed reports later showed that the version passed by the Senate contains provisions that could create loopholes capable of enabling manipulation during result collation.

The party said any legal ambiguity around the transmission of election results threatens public confidence in the electoral process and must be addressed before the final harmonized version of the bill is adopted.

“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 credibility of elections rests not on assurances but on clear, unambiguous legal guarantees that protect the will of the people.
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“The ADC therefore maintains that 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.

“We urge the National Assembly to immediately address and remove any provision that dilutes this safeguard and to align the final version of the Bill with the recommendations of the House of Representatives that called for mandatory e-transmission of results,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC also urged Nigerians and opposition parties to remain vigilant as the National Assembly Conference Committee works to harmonize the bill, insisting that the final law must guarantee the unconditional real-time transmission of election results nationwide.

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