The Social Democratic Party has accused the Senate of undermining electoral reforms by opposing the real-time electronic transmission of election results. The accusation was contained in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Aiyenigba, on Friday in Abuja.
Aiyenigba noted that citizens had demanded credible elections during nationwide public hearings conducted by the Senate in 2025 on the proposed Electoral Act Repeal and Enactment Bill. He stressed that technologies such as BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing portal are critical for transparency, reducing errors, and preventing manipulation during the collation of results.
The SDP spokesman highlighted that many senators, citizens, and INEC leadership supported these reforms to strengthen electoral integrity and transparency. He warned that rejecting electronic transmission could reverse democratic gains and compromise the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
Aiyenigba called on the Senate leadership not to undermine democracy, insisting that the proposed Electoral Act provides the legal framework for real-time electronic transmission. He emphasized that INEC possesses the technical infrastructure, expertise, and commitment required to transmit election results electronically.
“The nation cannot afford to have the 2027 general elections go the way of lack of credibility,” he said. “All hands must, therefore, be on deck to save our democracy and Nigeria from taking retrograde steps in this new age.”
The SDP urged citizens, civil society groups, and stakeholders to remain vigilant and united to prevent another credibility crisis in the country’s elections. The party emphasized that ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections is critical for democratic consolidation and public confidence in governance.
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