A senior figure in Nigeria’s African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned politicians against letting personal ambition override democratic principles, amid a debate over the digital transmission of election results.
Dele Momodu, a prominent chieftain of the ADC, issued the caution following comments by the party’s Interim National Chairman, David Mark. Mark, a former Senate President, had urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to cease making public statements on behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding electronic results transmission. Speaking in Abuja, Mark advocated for the National Assembly to pass necessary legislation and allow INEC to determine the technical modalities for implementing digital transmission.
Momodu publicly responded to Mark’s stance via the social media platform X. “Thank you sir, our ADC Chairman, Brigadier General David Mark (rtd.), for your brilliant intervention,” Momodu wrote. He then added his personal counsel to the political class: “Don’t allow anyone’s personal ambition lead you to hell fire. Promote transparent democratic tenets and ideals.”
The exchange highlights ongoing political tensions surrounding Nigeria’s electoral reforms. Electronic transmission of results has been a contentious issue, with proponents arguing it enhances transparency and reduces fraud, while opponents cite security and logistical concerns. INEC has consistently maintained that the decision on the method of results collation and transmission falls within its constitutional authority.
Mark’s direct call to the Senate to enact a law on the matter and Momodu’s subsequent moral appeal underscore the ADC’s position in favour of empowering the electoral commission. The party’s intervention adds to the public discourse as Nigeria prepares for future elections, where the integrity of the results process remains a critical national concern.
The significance of this dialogue lies in its focus on the separation of political and administrative functions in elections. By urging politicians to refrain from influencing INEC’s operational independence, the ADC leaders are reinforcing a cornerstone of credible democratic systems. The next steps will likely involve continued legislative and public debates to clarify the legal framework governing results transmission, a process that will test the commitment of various stakeholders to electoral transparency.
