The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a stern warning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding the “strict implementation” of a legal framework for the electronic transmission of election results in the 2027 general elections.
The party cautioned that it would resist any attempts to manipulate the process or undermine the will of the Nigerian people.
During a briefing in Abuja, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, expressed deep concern over what he termed the “institutional manipulation” of past elections.
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He insisted that INEC must ensure that results are transmitted directly from polling units in real time, citing Sections 64 (4), (5), and (6) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provide for the electronic transmission of results.
Ologunagba referenced the “glitches” that INEC claimed hindered the real-time transmission of presidential election results in 2023, stating,
“There must be no glitches in 2027. If POS machines work seamlessly across the remotest parts of this country, then INEC cannot claim that its BVAS machines suddenly fail on election day. That would be deliberate, institutional manipulation, and Nigerians will not accept it.”
He argued that the necessary technology and infrastructure already exist to ensure seamless electronic transmission.
The PDP spokesman accused INEC of failing to fully deploy these resources during previous elections, drawing a parallel to the widespread use of ATM cards and POS machines without issues.
“This is no longer about politics; it is about the very survival of our democracy,” Ologunagba declared, emphasising that the PDP will lead efforts to protect Nigeria’s democracy and ensure that voters’ choices are accurately reflected in the final election outcomes.
He warned that any attempt to abridge the rights of Nigerians to choose their leaders would be “firmly resisted.”
Ologunagba also criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for engaging in early campaigns, which he claimed were overheating the political climate and frustrating INEC’s regulatory role.
He accused the APC of “panicking” over the PDP’s resurgence and resorting to “endorsement shopping” to create an illusion of popularity.
“If the APC and President Bola Tinubu were truly performing, they wouldn’t need endorsements. The real endorsement is in the lives of the people,” he stated.
Ologunagba linked the APC’s actions to an “abandonment of governance,” claiming the party had shifted its focus to early electioneering less than two years before the polls, while Nigerians grapple with hunger and poverty.
Supporting the call for electronic transmission, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party believed it would curb manipulation and restore public confidence.
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“If establishing a legal framework for the electronic transmission of election results will compel INEC to act rightly and deepen transparency in our electoral process, then the ADC will stand firmly in support of it,” Abdullahi said.
He added that anything that guarantees the sanctity and integrity of elections is an “absolute necessity.”
