•PDP logo and INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called for strict implementation of legal framework mandating the electronic transmission of election results in the 2027 general elections, warning that it will resist any attempt to manipulate the process or undermine the will of Nigerians.
Section 64 (4), (5) and (6) of the Electoral Act 2022, provide for recording and transmission of election results directly from the polling units using the Smart Card Reader, SCR, or any other electronic device determined by the electoral commission, reports Vanguard.
Electronic transmission of the presidential election results in 2023 suffered glitches, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which made it unable to transmit the results in real time.
At a briefing in Abuja, yesterday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, said the party was deeply concerned about what he described as ‘institutional manipulation’ of past elections.
He insisted that the INEC must ensure that results are transmitted directly from polling units in real time.
“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.
“This is no longer about politics; it is about the very survival of our democracy. INEC must rise to its constitutional duty and guarantee a process where every vote counts, and every vote is seen to count,” Ologunagba declared.
The PDP spokesman argued that the technology and infrastructure already exist to ensure seamless electronic transmission of results and accused INEC of failing to fully deploy them during previous elections.
“Today, Nigerians can use their ATM cards and POS machines anywhere in the country without issues. So why should BVAS machines, which have backup batteries, conveniently fail at polling units? This cannot be a coincidence; it is a calculated effort to subvert the will of the people,” he said. Ologunagba stressed that the PDP will lead efforts to protect Nigeria’s democracy and ensure that voters’ choices are accurately reflected in the final election outcomes.
“Votes must count and be counted. The only way democracy can thrive is for INEC to guarantee real-time transmission of results to prevent manipulation. Any attempt to abridge Nigerians’ rights to choose their leaders will be firmly resisted by our party and by the Nigerian people,” he said emphatically.
He warned that the 2027 elections must be free, fair, transparent, and devoid of excuses from INEC.
“The era of ‘glitches’ is over. If the infrastructure that supports electronic payments works nationwide, INEC has no reason to fail. Nigerians deserve a credible election, and the PDP will ensure they get nothing less,” he said firmly.
The PDP spokesman also criticised what he described as early campaigns by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, saying they were overheating the polity 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. Nigerians cannot feed their families, pay school fees, or afford basic necessities, yet this government continues to impose policies like the proposed five per cent tax on petroleum products coming in January. That is not governance; it is punishment.”
“Let your work endorse you. Let your achievements speak for you. Nigerians are tired of photo opportunities and empty endorsements splashed across the pages of newspapers while hunger and poverty deepen in our communities,” Ologunagba said.
Ologunagba linked the APC’s actions to what he described as ‘abandonment’ of governance, claiming that the ruling party had shifted its focus entirely to early electioneering less than two years before the polls.
“INEC itself has expressed frustration at this behaviour. The APC knows the PDP is recalibrating and reconnecting with Nigerians through reconciliation and inclusion. That is why they are jittery and desperate,” he noted.
ADC concurs
Speaking on the issue, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, told Vanguard yesterday that the party strongly believes making electronic transmission of results compulsory will curb manipulation and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
“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 stated.
“For us, anything that guarantees that the votes of the people genuinely count and protects the sanctity and integrity of our elections is not just desirable; it is an absolute necessity,” he added.
