2027: PDP Condemns Senate Rejection of Electronic Transmission

2027: PDP Condemns Senate Rejection of Electronic Transmission

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the Senate’s decision to reject electronic transmission of election results at polling units, describing it as a setback to democratic consolidation and a blow to public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the PDP said the decision, taken after what it described as an intentional and protracted delay in amending the Electoral Act, was shameful and had drawn widespread condemnation from democratic-minded Nigerians.

The opposition party reminded lawmakers that they are delegates of power vested in them by the electorate and must at all times reflect the wishes of their constituents, particularly on matters that affect the credibility of elections.

“It is common knowledge that the majority of Nigerians across the 109 Senatorial Districts desire electoral sanctity, which is better guaranteed through the electronic transmission of votes from the polling units,” the statement said.

The PDP argued that the rejection of electronic transmission would perpetuate the long-standing problem of manipulation of election results during movement from polling units to collation centres, noting that the proposed system would have significantly reduced human interference and altered outcomes.

“We are all witnesses to the widespread practice of altering results before they get to the collation centre or at the collation centre. Electronic transmission would have brought an end to this ignoble practice deployed by politicians to win elections against the wishes of the people,” the party stated.

According to the PDP, the Senate’s action was a clear indication that the National Assembly was unwilling to legislate for electoral transparency and democratic consolidation, warning that the decision could further erode public trust in the electoral process.

The party called on the National Assembly to urgently reconsider its position and pass the amendment approving electronic transmission of results, describing it as the minimum reform required to restore confidence in elections.

“This is the minimum amendment that can increase faith in the electoral process, without which voter apathy may worsen beyond what was recorded in the last general election,” the statement warned.

Also reacting to the development, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Chikere Elec-Njaka, described the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission as a major setback for Nigeria’s democratic development.

“The Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of election results compromises trust in the electoral process and substantiates public fears that votes may not be genuinely counted,” he said.

Elec-Njaka added that electronic transmission reduces manipulation, delays and human interference between polling units and collation centres, cautioning that rejecting it could sustain a system that has historically generated electoral disputes, violence and prolonged litigation.

He urged Nigeria’s leaders to prioritise reforms that uphold the people’s mandate, stressing that democracy thrives on transparency and credible reforms rather than decisions that deepen public suspicion.