Senate President Godswill Akpabio has fired back at opposition parties, civil society organisations, and other critics over the backlash following the Senate’s decision to remove the phrase “real-time” from provisions on electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Akpabio declared that the Red Chamber would not be cowed or intimidated into passing what he described as a faulty law, stressing that lawmaking is a grave constitutional responsibility that goes far beyond public sentiment, television debates, or pressure from interest groups.
Speaking at the public presentation of the book *The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria* authored by former Senator Effiong Bob in Abuja, Akpabio mounted a spirited defence of the Senate’s position.
He said: “The burden of lawmaking is where every clause must balance liberty with order. The burden of representation is that millions of voices must be expressed through a single vote.
“The burden of oversight is where power must be questioned without malice, and the burden of budgetary control is where national dreams must be matched with fiscal discipline.”
Akpabio lamented what he called premature judgments and misrepresentation of the bill, noting that the legislative process remains incomplete until the Votes and Proceedings are adopted.
“Until we approve the votes and proceedings, the bill is not completed. Any Senator can still rise to say that the record does not reflect the agreed outcome, and it can be corrected. Why then are people setting up panels on television stations and abusing the Senate when the process is incomplete?” he queried.
On the controversy over electronic transmission, Akpabio clarified that the Senate did not abolish it but declined to make “real-time” transmission mandatory in all circumstances.
“All we said was that the word ‘real-time’ should be removed. If you want to transmit results electronically, do so. If you want to use your phone, iPad, or any device, do so. But if you make real-time transmission mandatory and there is a network failure or a grid collapse, what happens to the election?” he asked.
He warned that insisting on real-time transmission without regard to Nigeria’s infrastructural realities—such as insecurity, poor electricity, and weak telecommunications—could throw the country into chaos.
“In states where networks are not working, does it mean there will be no election? If the national grid collapses, will no results be valid nationwide? Technology must serve democracy; it must not endanger democracy,” Akpabio stated.
Drawing from global examples, he referenced the disputed 2000 US presidential election between George Bush and Al Gore to illustrate that even advanced democracies face challenges with electronic voting systems.
Akpabio accused some NGOs and civil society actors of attempting to impose positions reached during retreats on lawmakers, insisting that consultations do not replace floor deliberations.
“Retreats are part of consultation; they are not lawmaking. Why do you think that what was agreed in a retreat must automatically be passed on the floor? That is not how democracy works,” he said.
He maintained that the Senate would not make laws to favour individuals, opposition parties, or those in power, but for posterity and generations unborn.
“We will not be intimidated. We will do what is right for Nigeria. Laws must outlast us,” Akpabio added.
INEC Remains Committed to Technology – Amupitan
Meanwhile, INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan has reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to deploying technology to enhance election credibility.
Speaking in Abuja while monitoring a mock accreditation exercise ahead of the February 21 Area Council elections in the FCT, Amupitan cautioned against creating “unnecessary tension” over the Senate’s decision.
He stressed that the legislative process involves harmonisation between the Senate and House of Representatives, with the final position only emerging after due process.
Amupitan said the simulation tested operational readiness and the upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which accredited voters in about five seconds and successfully blocked repeat attempts.
“With this technology, there is no way you can be accredited twice. There’s no way you can vote twice,” he said.
Addressing potential network challenges in rural areas, he noted strengthened protocols, including allowing presiding officers to use personal hotspots, with automatic uploads to IReV upon signal detection.
Amupitan decried low turnout during the mock exercise and urged political parties to intensify voter mobilisation.
The Electoral Act Amendment Bill remains under consideration, with harmonisation between both chambers expected to produce the final version ahead of the 2027 general elections.
