Obidient threatens protest over Senate’s rejection of real-time end result transmission

The Obidient Motion Worldwide has threatened to stage a mass protest towards the Nationwide Meeting over the Senate’s rejection of obligatory real-time digital transmission of election outcomes, warning that the choice may undermine the credibility of the 2027 normal elections.

The Nationwide Coordinator of the group, Yunusa Tanko, disclosed this in a press release issued in Abuja on Friday, although no date was mounted for the proposed protest.

The warning adopted the Senate’s rejection of a proposed modification to Clause 70(3) of the Electoral Modification Invoice, which sought to make digital transmission of election outcomes obligatory.

Clarifying the Senate’s place earlier, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated the higher chamber didn’t reject digital transmission totally however retained the present provision of the Electoral Act, which states that “the presiding officer shall switch the outcomes, together with the overall variety of accredited voters and the outcomes of the poll, in a way as prescribed by the Fee.”

In a press release titled ‘Obidient Motion Rejects Non-Passage of Digital Transmission of Outcomes, Requires March to Nationwide Meeting’, Tanko condemned the Senate’s determination, describing it as an try to maintain guide collation of election outcomes below the 2022 Electoral Act.

He stated, “The Obidient Motion vehemently condemns the Nigerian Senate’s current determination to reject the obligatory digital transmission of election outcomes.

“This motion, which retains a clause within the 2022 Electoral Act permitting for guide collation of outcomes, is a deliberate and unforgivable act of electoral manipulation in preparation for the 2027 normal elections.”

Tanko described the choice as a setback to electoral reforms and a risk to democratic governance, insisting that Nigerians had repeatedly demanded reforms that may assure transparency and credibility.

“This determination by the Nationwide Meeting represents a direct assault on the foundations of Nigeria’s democracy. By refusing to mandate the digital transmission of outcomes from polling items to the IREV, the Senate has chosen to institutionalise chaos and opacity, thereby eroding public belief within the electoral course of.

“This motion is a slap within the face of hundreds of thousands of Nigerians who’ve tirelessly advocated for higher transparency and accountability in our elections,” he stated.

The group linked the Senate’s motion to controversies that trailed the 2023 normal elections, which have been marred by disputes over end result transmission.

“We vividly recall the turmoil, disputes, and widespread manipulation that characterised the 2023 normal elections—occasions that stemmed instantly from the failure to totally implement digital transmission of outcomes.

“Nigerians have been fed excuses of a fabricated ‘glitch’ that by no means existed, whereas the desire of the folks was blatantly subverted,” Tanko stated.

He accused the political management of prioritising elite pursuits over democratic values and criticised Nigeria’s democratic trajectory when put next with different African international locations adopting expertise to strengthen electoral credibility.

Tanko additionally accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of double requirements.

“The… has clearly demonstrated its intent to undermine free, truthful, and credible elections. It’s each ironic and hypocritical for a celebration that deploys e-registration and digital processes for its inside affairs to disclaim Nigerians the identical degree of transparency in nationwide elections,” he stated.

Asserting plans for a peaceable protest, the motion known as for pressing legislative intervention.

“Accordingly, we hereby name on all Nigerians to hitch us in a peaceable march to the Nationwide Meeting to press our demand that each chambers convene an emergency sitting to revisit this important problem and instantly go into regulation the obligatory real-time digital transmission of election outcomes to INEC’s IREV portal.

“A sew in time saves 9. A New Nigeria is Attainable,” Tanko added.