The African Democratic Congress has accused the All Progressives Congress of deliberately sabotaging electoral reforms in the Senate to create opportunities for rigging the 2027 elections, arguing that the ruling party fears facing voters in a free and fair contest.
In a statement released on Thursday, February 5, by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party condemned the 10th Senate’s rejection of critical provisions including electronic transmission of election results, electronic voter card downloads, and reduced candidate nomination timelines.
The ADC characterised the Senate’s actions as a calculated attempt to weaken electoral integrity and expand avenues for manipulation.
“Nigerians are well aware that the APC is mortally afraid of subjecting themselves to a free and fair elections 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,” the statement read.
“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.”
The party specifically condemned the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of results, describing it as “yet another attempt by the APC to undermine the will of the Nigerian people and manipulate future elections.”
The ADC noted that lawmakers also voted down provisions for electronic download of voter cards from INEC’s website, reduced election notice periods, and shortened candidate publication timelines from 150 days to 60 days.
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“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 foist logistical nightmares on INEC that will make future elections even less efficient,” the statement said.
The opposition party argued that the APC has weaponised its legislative majority to undermine electoral credibility.
“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 ADC stated.
The party called on Nigerians to hold the ruling party accountable for weakening democratic institutions and urged the Conference Committee on the Electoral Act to reject the Senate’s submission.
“As Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the ADC unequivocally condemns this retrogressive of the Nigerian Senate and calls on all Nigerians to reject it,” the statement concluded.
“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.”