The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has criticized the Nigerian Senate’s recent amendment permitting electronic transmission of election results while retaining manual Form EC8A as the default fallback in cases of network failure.
In a statement signed by National Chairman Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani, the party described the move as a partial reform that fails to guarantee electoral transparency.
"Electronic transmission is not a technological luxury but a vital safeguard against manipulation between polling units and collation centres," Sani said.
"Making it discretionary renders transparency optional and verification uncertain, preserving the very vulnerabilities Nigerians demand be eliminated."
The ADP warned that giving legal primacy to manual forms where “network failure” is claimed could create loopholes, encourage unverifiable excuses, and escalate post-election disputes.
The party argued that such measures conflict with the 1999 Constitution, which mandates transparency, accountability, and the abolition of corrupt practices in public life.
The party urged the National Assembly to complete reforms by legislating: mandatory real-time electronic transmission from all polling units, strictly time-bound uploads during temporary connectivity issues, public audit trails, and legal primacy for electronically verified results.
"Anything short of these measures risks prolonging distrust ahead of the 2027 general elections," Sani added.
"Nigeria deserves elections that are not merely conducted, but clearly credible and unquestionably trusted."
