The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has accused the Senate of undermining electoral reforms and opposing real-time electronic transmission of results.

In a statement on Friday, SDP’s national publicity secretary, Araba 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.

Mr 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.

“The SDP is deeply worried by the unimaginable and unpatriotic resistance of the leadership of the 10th Senate to positive change in our democratic journey, going by its deliberate attempts and actions in the ongoing reforms on the Electoral Act, to go against the popular will of Nigerians to have a definitive legislative mandate that will allow for real-time transmission of election results,” he stated.

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.

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 party warns in strong terms that the self-serving cabals within the Senate leadership can no longer hold our democracy to ransom and demands that the new Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) 2026 must, as a matter of true national interest, come up with an unambiguous legislative mandate and legal command on electronic transmission of results in real-time by polling unit presiding officers to avoid any possible legal manipulation of our future elections,” said Mr Aiyenigba.

He urged 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 a 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.

Public outrage has trailed the Senate’s decision to remove electronic transmission of results from the ElectoralAct since it was taken during plenary on Wednesday.

(NAN)