Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, says he would have joined Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, in the protest at the national assembly complex over the real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Obi had on Monday led a group of protesters to the national assembly complex in Abuja over the senate’s rejection of real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Among the protesters were student and civil society groups, some members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Obidient Movement — a group of Obi’s supporters.
Speaking during an interview on Trust Television, El-Rufai citied his trip abroad as the reason for his absence from the demonstration.
The former governor said the real-time transmission of results is the only way Nigerians can stop “the manipulation that goes on in the collation centres” on election days.
“That is where the real rigging takes place,” he said.
According to him, the controversial electoral clause, passed by the house of representatives but rejected by the senate, would have improved the quality of elections in the country.
He claimed that the ruling party and current administration would not want the real-time result transmission activated, adding that their only chance of winning is by manipulating the results after people have voted.
The two-time former governor also highlighted the efforts being made by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to get Nigerians’ support ahead of 2027.
“We are mobilising at that level. And at the top level, we are preparing,” El-Rufai said.
“We are working on our manifesto, on our platform, and we are working on getting all our presidential aspirants, governorship aspirants, and other aspirants to come together and agree to a consensus that will have free and fair primaries, will not have zoning, and will not have any of that.”
According to him, the party will not support consensus candidacy or force anyone to step down.
“Everyone will be given the opportunity to contest, and whoever wins will be supported by all,” he added.
“This is what we’ve been working on, on two layers that I can relate and tell you about.”
