The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has slammed the Senate leadership’s opposition to a clear legislative mandate for the real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The reaction was contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Araba Aiyenigba, on Friday in Abuja.
The SDP accused the Senate of undermining electoral reforms and acting against the popular will expressed by Nigerians during nationwide public hearings on the proposed Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2026.
Aiyenigba noted that citizens demanded credible elections during the nationwide public hearings conducted by the senate in 2025 on the proposed Electoral Act Repeal and Enactment Bill.
According to him, technologies such as BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal are essential for transparency, reducing errors and preventing manipulation during result collation.
Aiyenigba further stated that many senators, citizens and INEC leadership supported the reforms to promote integrity, transparency and credibility, adding that there was a growing national consensus on strengthening democratic electoral processes.
He called on the senate leadership not to undermine democracy, insisting that the proposed Electoral Act provided legal backing for real-time electronic transmission.
The SDP spokesman maintained that INEC possessed adequate infrastructure, technical expertise and commitment to transmit election results electronically, urging the lawmakers to remove the barriers hindering effective electoral administration in the country.
“The nation cannot afford to have the 2027 general elections go the way of lack of credibility.
“All hands must, therefore, be on deck to save our democracy and Nigeria from taking retrograde steps in this new age,” he said.
The party called on citizens, civil society groups and stakeholders to remain vigilant and united, warning that Nigeria could not afford another credibility crisis during elections
