The Peoples Democratic Party has condemned the signing of the Electoral Act 2026 Amendment into law, describing the National Assembly’s handling of electronic transmission provisions as a betrayal of Nigerians and an attempt to create room for electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Wednesday, February 18, the PDP said the decision to water down mandatory electronic transmission of results struck at the very heart of democracy.
“The anti-democratic stance of the Senate and the sudden somersault by the House of Representatives on the amendment of the Electoral Act 2022, specifically on the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the polling units is an act of treachery against the Nigerian electorate,” the party said.
“This is a huge betrayal of the collective trust of Nigerians, who unambiguously expressed their overwhelming demand for the electronic transmission of results,” it added.
The PDP accused lawmakers of showing open contempt for the voters who elected them, dismissing the justifications offered for diluting the electronic transmission provisions.
“The shocking aspect of the whole drama is the brazen manner in which the legislators acted — they clearly showed disdain for the Nigerian people who voted them into office by openly challenging the supremacy of the voters,” the statement read.
“The excuses advanced for inserting this obnoxious proviso are weak, illogical, and insulting to the intelligence of Nigerians,” it added.
The party said the only logical conclusion to draw from the legislature’s actions was that a deliberate scheme was underway to rig future elections.
“When lawmakers begin to dilute transparency mechanisms ahead of elections, only one conclusion is rational: there is a calculated attempt to create room for electoral manipulation,” the PDP said.
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The party also took aim at a provision in the new law restricting party primaries to direct and consensus methods, calling it an unconstitutional interference in the internal affairs of political parties.
“The restriction of party primaries to Direct and Consensus methods constitutes a blatant intrusion into the internal affairs of political parties.
“The Supreme Court has consistently affirmed that political parties possess autonomy in managing their internal processes. This provision is therefore ultra vires, and the attempt to constrict political parties is condemnable,” the statement read.
The PDP challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress to embrace transparency if it was truly confident of public support.
“If the ruling party truly believes it enjoys the support it claims, it should welcome every mechanism that guarantees transparency. Their shameless support for this anomaly shows their fear of impending defeat in a free and fair election,” the party said.
It pointed to what it described as hypocrisy on the part of the APC, noting that the same party had demanded electronic voting in 2015.
“It is most shameful that a party that demanded electronic voting in 2015 is now unwilling and unprepared to have electronic transmission of results — this is a crying shame,” the PDP said.
The party called on Nigerians, organised labour, and civil society organisations to use all lawful means to express their displeasure with the National Assembly’s actions.
“This hard-won democracy must not be allowed to suffer decline in the hands of retrogressive politicians, masking as legislators,” the statement concluded.