ADC Accuses Senate of Undermining Democracy After Blocking E-Transmission Clause

• The African Democratic Congress says the Senate’s decision weakens transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s elections.
• The party faulted lawmakers for rejecting mandatory electronic transmission of results and other proposed reforms.
• ADC accused the ruling APC of manipulating electoral laws to tilt future polls in its favour.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the Senate’s decision to reject key provisions in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, warning that the move risks rolling back hard-won gains in electoral transparency and public trust.

The party was reacting to the Senate’s refusal to amend Clause 70(3) of the bill, which would have made the electronic transmission of election results mandatory. Senate President Godswill Akpabio later explained that lawmakers did not entirely throw out the proposal but chose to retain the existing wording in the Electoral Act.

However, in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the decision reflected more than legislative caution, describing it instead as a calculated step that could weaken Nigeria’s democratic safeguards ahead of future elections.

Why ADC says e-transmission matters

The opposition party said the rejection of mandatory electronic transmission stood out as the most troubling aspect of the Senate’s decision, arguing that digital result transmission remains one of the most effective tools for protecting the integrity of votes cast at polling units.

“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,” the statement read.

ADC maintained that electronic transmission reduces opportunities for result manipulation during collation and enhances transparency, especially in tightly contested races where delays and manual processes often trigger disputes and litigation.

Other reforms rejected by the Senate

Beyond e-transmission, the party also faulted lawmakers for voting against several other proposed reforms, including provisions that would have allowed voters to download their voter cards electronically from INEC’s website, shortened the notice period for elections, and reduced the timeline for the publication of candidates from 150 days to 60 days.

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According to ADC, these measures were designed to modernise Nigeria’s electoral system, ease voter participation, and strengthen confidence in election management. Instead, the party accused the Senate of deliberately weakening the law in ways that could create logistical hurdles for INEC and expand opportunities for malpractice.

“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 statement said.

The party further alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress exploited its numerical advantage in the National Assembly to shape the law in its favour, arguing that the decisions reflected fear of genuinely competitive elections rather than a commitment to democratic reform.

“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,” ADC said.

Calling for public vigilance, the party urged Nigerians to pressure the Conference Committee on the Electoral Act to reject the Senate’s version of the bill and pass amendments that, in its view, better reflect democratic principles and the will of voters.

“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,” the statement added.