Former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has strongly criticised the Nigerian Senate over a controversial provision on electoral transmission, describing it as “an insult on the collective intelligence of Nigerians.”
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“That cock-eyed provision on Electoral Transmission that the @NGRSenate just passed is an insult on the collective intelligence of Nigerians,” Ezekwesili wrote on her X handle on Tuesday.
She emphasised the principle of democratic accountability, stating, “In a functioning democracy, the Elected can NEVER be greater than the Collective Will of those who elected them. Never.”
Ezekwesili accused the Senate leadership of attempting to manipulate future elections, warning, “The Senate President and his collaborators are brazenly giving Nigerians a heads-up that our votes will not count because that vexing clause they passed is their loophole to RIG the 2027 elections.”
In contrast, Ezekwesili commended the Nigerian House of Representatives for passing legislation that ensures transparency in election results.
“Again, kudos to the lawmakers @HouseNGR that boldly passed a Bill which legally mandates electronic transmission of polling units results in real time with this simple and HONEST text,” she noted.
She highlighted Clause 60(3) of the bill, which states: “INEC shall electronically transmit election results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal in real time and such transmission shall be done simultaneously with the physical collation of results.”
Ezekwesili praised the House for aligning with citizens’ demand for transparency, saying, “We salute our members of the Nigerian House of Representatives for totally aligning with the Citizens’ quest for Electoral Transparency.”
Addressing the Senate directly, she questioned its readiness to meet public expectations, asserting, “The REAL-TIME question is whether the Akpabio-led Senate is ready for the Nigerians who have run out of patience with their shenanigans. The answer is in the hands of the Senators. It is not wise to play with fire.”
Earlier on Tuesday, SaharaReporters reported that the Nigerian Senate had amended the Electoral Act, altering Section 60 to mandate electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV), while simultaneously creating a major loophole that allows manual result sheets to prevail where electronic transmission fails.
The amendment was adopted during plenary proceedings monitored by SaharaReporters, with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, presiding.
Under the revised provision, presiding officers at polling units are required to electronically transmit results to the IREV portal after the completion of voting.
However, the amendment provides that where electronic transmission is unsuccessful due to communication or network failure, the manual result sheet, Form EC8A, shall become the primary basis for collation and declaration of results.
While putting the motion to a vote, Akpabio insisted that lawmakers who opposed the amendment should formally move a counter motion.
The Senate President’s comments and the Lawmakers position come amid growing controversy, public backlash and street protests by Nigerians who accuse the National Assembly of deliberately weakening the Electoral Act to undermine credible elections.
Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, on Tuesday, joined protesters under the banner of #OccupyNASS, organised by the National Opposition Movement (NOM), at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
Sowore warned security operatives against any attempt to assault peaceful demonstrators and accused the political elite of engineering electoral laws that favour manipulation.
He argued that the ruling political class is afraid of transparent elections because it would expose their inability to win genuinely.
“We know why they are doing it. These people cannot win in free and fair elections. But the people have a duty to demand processes that guarantee free, legal and transparent elections,” he stated.
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