The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a scathing condemnation of the Nigerian Senate’s decision to strike down essential provisions within the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The party warned that the Senate’s refusal to mandate the electronic transmission of results severely threatens the “credibility, transparency, and integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.”
The backlash follows the Senate’s rejection of a proposed change to Clause 70, Subsection 3, which would have made electronic transmission a legal requirement.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio defended the chamber’s stance, clarifying that they did not flatly reject the idea but rather opted to stick with the existing wording of the Electoral Act.
In a statement released on Thursday, February 5, 2026, and signed by its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC accused the Senate of a calculated attempt to dismantle democratic protections.
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The party stated, “Foremost amongst these is the rejection of electronic transmission of election results, a move that clearly signals yet another attempt by the APC to undermine the will of the Nigerian people and manipulate future elections.”
Beyond electronic transmission, the ADC criticized the Senate for voting against reforms that would have allowed for the digital downloading of voter cards and shortened the candidate publication timeline from 150 to 60 days.
The party insisted that “Proposed provisions were intended to provide the necessary safeguards against electoral abuse and to restore voter confidence in the electoral process.”
The opposition party further alleged that the Senate is intentionally creating loopholes for electoral fraud, adding, “What the Senate has done amounts to tampering with the laws to expand opportunities for rigging and foist logistical nightmares on INEC that will make future elections even less efficient.”
The ADC also accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of using its numerical strength in the National Assembly to compromise the law, stating, “The net sum of this disgraceful action is that the APC has exploited its majority status in the National Assembly to tamper with the law and lay the ground for all manner of malpractice.”
The party claimed this legislative maneuver stems from a fear of transparent polls, noting, “By rejecting critical reforms meant to improve the conduct of elections, the APC has betrayed its lack of confidence and has shown its desire to cling to power by all means — including by legislative tampering.”
Calling for a public stand against these changes, the ADC concluded: “At this critical moment, all well-meaning Nigerians must hold the APC accountable for actions that continue to weaken democracy and erode public trust in our electoral system. As Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the ADC unequivocally condemns this retrogressive act of the Nigerian Senate and calls on all Nigerians to reject it.”
The party also made a final appeal to the legislative process: “We call on the Conference Committee on the Electoral Act to reject the Senate’s submission and urge the Committee to pass amendments that align with democratic principles that truly reflect the will and aspirations of the Nigerian people.”
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