RismadarVoice Reporters
February 10, 2026
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the Senate’s revised position on the electronic transmission of election results, describing the newly introduced provision allowing manual transmission in cases of technological failure as inadequate and misleading.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP said the Senate’s decision amounted to a “backdoor attempt” to retain the status quo after previously rejecting real-time electronic transmission of results.
The party argued that manual transmission of results is already provided for under the Electoral Act and that the current push for electronic transmission is intended to introduce an additional layer of authentication to curb manipulation of results between polling units and collation centres.
According to the PDP, the introduction of a manual transmission fallback undermines the core objective of electronic transmission, which it said is designed to enhance transparency and credibility in the electoral process.
The party also questioned the rationale behind concerns over the reliability of technology, noting that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is already used successfully for voter accreditation during elections.
“It is inconceivable that the same technology that conducts accreditation throughout an election would suddenly become unreliable when it comes to transmitting results arising from that same process,” the statement said.
The PDP further alleged that opposition to real-time electronic transmission is driven by political interests, singling out Senate President, Godswill Akpabio as one of those it believes is opposed to the reform. The party urged lawmakers to prioritize national interest over personal or political considerations.
Calling on the Conference Committee of the National Assembly, the PDP appealed for the adoption of the version of the Electoral Act amendment passed by the House of Representatives as the harmonized position, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party warned that failure to strengthen the legal framework for electronic transmission of results could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
It also urged Nigerians to remain engaged and continue to demand real-time electronic transmission of election results, describing it as critical to the protection of the country’s democratic system.
