ADC Slams Senate for Rejecting Electoral Reforms

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the Nigerian Senate’s rejection of key reforms to the Electoral Act.

The coalition party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the Senate’s decision to reject the Act’s reform is a deliberate attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democracy.

Abdullahi noted that the anticipated reforms to the Act were aimed at improving the credibility of future elections and enhancing the efficiency of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Faulting the Senate’s refusal to allow electronic transmission of election results and the rejection of provisions for electronic voter card downloads, Abdullahi said the action by the legislature is evidence of the All Progressives Congress’s fear of a free and fair election process in 2027.

According to him, the ruling party, despite its dominance in the political space has set out to undermine the will of the Nigerian people and manipulate future elections.

Abdullahi said, “Proposed provisions were intended to provide the necessary safeguards against electoral abuse and to restore voter confidence in the electoral process. But what the Senate has done amounts to tampering with the laws to expand opportunities for rigging and foisting logistical nightmares on INEC that will make future elections even less efficient.

“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.

“Nigerians are well aware that the APC is mortally afraid of subjecting themselves to a free and fair election because of the unprecedented suffering that they have visited on ordinary Nigerians, but no one expected them to go this far in mutilating our nation’s electoral laws,” Abdulahji stated.

The ADC’s spokesperson, on behalf of the coalition party called on the Conference Committee on the Electoral Act to immediately overturn the decision and pass amendments that reflect democratic principles and the will of the Nigerian people.

”As Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the ADC unequivocally condemns this retrogression of the Nigerian Senate and calls on all Nigerians to reject it.

“We also call on the Conference Committee on the Electoral Act to reject the Senate’s submission. We urge the Committee to pass amendments that align with democratic principles that truly reflect the will and aspirations of the Nigerian people,” he added.