A leading figure in the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kenneth Okonkwo, has launched a blistering attack on Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the ongoing controversy surrounding the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, insisting that Akpabio should either resign or be removed from office.
Okonkwo spoke on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, aired on Channels Television on Sunday, February 8, where he accused the Senate leadership of deliberately preserving electoral provisions that enable manipulation and rigging.
According to the actor cum lawyer, the Senate’s decision to retain the existing clause on electronic transfer of election results reflects a deeper resistance to electoral reform.
“What it means is that Senator Godswill Akpabio has become an enemy of democracy and is sticking to the vicious cycle of election rigging, manipulation, falsification, and subterfuge by trying to maintain the same provision that the Supreme Court told you that if you do, you are an enemy of democracy,” Okonkwo said.
He argued that Akpabio’s continued leadership of the Senate poses a threat to democratic progress, adding that decisive action was required.
“That man is an enemy of democracy and should be removed if he doesn’t resign,” he stated.
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The comments followed the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill through third reading last week.
A major flashpoint in the debate is Clause 60 (30) of the bill, which addresses the electronic transmission of election results.
During plenary on Wednesday, the Red Chamber retained the wording contained in the 2022 Electoral Act, allowing electronic transfer of results without mandating real-time transmission from polling units.
The Senate also rejected proposals seeking to impose a 10-year ban on vote buyers, opting instead to maintain existing penalties of imprisonment and fines.
Critics, including Okonkwo, argue that these decisions weaken electoral transparency and undermine public confidence, while supporters insist the retained provisions remain legally sufficient.
As reactions continue to trail the amendment, the dispute has deepened concerns over the Senate’s commitment to meaningful electoral reform ahead of future elections.