The African Democratic Congress (ADC) wishes to issue a clarification and follow-up to its earlier statement on the Electoral Amendment Bill recently passed by the 10th Senate.
Our initial reaction was informed by early media reports suggesting that the Senate had passed a version of the Bill that guarantees the real-time electronic transmission of election results—a long-standing safeguard essential for protecting the votes of Nigerians and preserving electoral integrity.
However, more detailed reports have since revealed that the Bill, as passed, contains a controversial provision introducing discretionary clauses capable of weakening this guarantee. Such provisions create room for abuse and open the door to the intentional manipulation of election results.
In light of these facts now on record, the ADC wishes to clearly restate its position.
Any provision in our electoral laws that introduces ambiguity, discretion, or technical loopholes in 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.
Accordingly, the ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, 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 therefore urge the National Assembly to urgently address and remove any provision that dilutes this safeguard and to align the final version of the Bill with the recommendations of the Conference Committee, which clearly called for e-transmission of results.
The ADC remains resolute in standing with Nigerians in defence of transparent, credible, and verifiable elections.
