Electoral Act: Atiku Faults Senate for Rejecting Actual-Time Transmission of Election Outcomes

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted the Nigerian Senate for rejecting the real-time digital transmission of election outcomes, describing the choice as a deliberate assault on electoral transparency.

In a press release issued on Wednesday night time, Atiku stated the Senate’s motion marked a severe setback for electoral reforms and additional eroded public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic course of.

“At a time when democracies internationally are modernising their electoral programs by means of digital expertise, the Nigerian Senate has opted to keep up opacity and shield loopholes that permit manipulation and post-election disputes,” he stated.

Atiku warned that the choice continues to uphold a system that has traditionally enabled the manipulation of election outcomes.

“Each reform that strengthens transparency is resisted, whereas each ambiguity that advantages incumbency is preserved,” he added.

He careworn that real-time digital transmission is just not a partisan demand however an important democratic safeguard.

“It reduces human interference, limits consequence manipulation, and ensures that the desire of the voter expressed on the polling unit is faithfully mirrored within the closing consequence,” Atiku stated.

The previous vice chairman additionally criticised the retention of the 2022 provisions on digital transmission, describing them as insufficient and reflective of an unwillingness to make elections absolutely clear.

He additional raised considerations in regards to the political institution’s intentions as Nigeria strikes nearer to the 2027 common elections.

Calling on Nigerians, civil society {groups}, the media and the worldwide neighborhood to stay vigilant, Atiku urged sustained efforts to revitalise Nigeria’s electoral system and align it with international democratic requirements.