The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has revised its position on Nigeria’s Electoral Amendment Bill, cautioning that proposed discretionary clauses could undermine a key safeguard for electoral integrity.
The party’s clarification follows its initial praise for the 10th Senate’s passage of legislation including provisions for real-time electronic transmission of election results. That early response was based on media summaries suggesting a firm mandate for such transmissions.
However, the ADC said more comprehensive reviews of the passed bill revealed new language introducing “discretionary clauses.” The party argues these provisions create ambiguity around the technical process for transmitting and collating results, potentially weakening the guarantee of real-time transmission and opening avenues for result manipulation.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC stated that any electoral law containing ambiguity or discretionary power regarding result transmission directly threatens election credibility. The party emphasized that public confidence depends on clear, unambiguous legal guarantees rather than political assurances.
The ADC maintains that only an amendment act with an explicit, non-negotiable requirement for real-time electronic transmission of results can strengthen democratic processes. It has urged the National Assembly to remove the contested provisions and ensure the final bill aligns strictly with the recommendations of the Conference Committee on electronic transmission.
This stance positions the ADC alongside civil society groups and other stakeholders calling for robust,技术 neutral reforms to Nigeria’s electoral framework. The party reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for transparent, verifiable elections, stating that the integrity of the process is foundational to public trust. The bill now proceeds to the House of Representatives for concurrence before presidential assent, with the debate over its specific clauses likely to influence Nigeria’s electoral landscape for future polls.
