Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted the Nigerian Senate over its refusal to approve real-time electronic transmission of election results, accusing the lawmakers of intentionally undermining openness in the electoral process.
In a statement issued late Wednesday, the 4th of February, 2026, he described the Senate’s action as a serious blow to ongoing efforts at electoral reform, warning that it further erodes citizens’ trust in Nigeria’s democratic system.
He argued that while many countries are upgrading their voting processes to reflect modern realities, Nigeria appears to be moving in the opposite direction.
“At a time when democracies across the world are modernizing their electoral systems through D- technology, the Nigerian Senate has opted to maintain opacity and protect loopholes that allow manipulation and post-election disputes,” he said.
According to Atiku, the decision reinforces an electoral framework that has long been vulnerable to abuse and alteration of results.
“Every reform that strengthens transparency is resisted, while every ambiguity that benefits incumbency is preserved,” he added.
The former vice president emphasized that the push for real-time electronic transmission should not be viewed through a partisan lens, noting that it is essential for credible elections.
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“It reduces human interference, limits result manipulation, and ensures that the will of the voter expressed at the polling unit is faithfully reflected in the final outcome,” Atiku said.
He also took aim at the Senate’s reliance on the 2022 provisions governing electronic transmission, describing them as inadequate and reflective of a lack of genuine commitment to transparent elections.
Atiku further raised concerns about the broader motives of the political class as the country edges closer to the 2027 general elections.
He called on Nigerians, civil society groups, the media, and the international community to stay alert and actively push for reforms that will revitalize Nigeria’s electoral system and align it with accepted global democratic practices.