*Aborisade warns against rigging through manual results transfer

*Crises in opposition parties fuellingone-party state illusion, says Okechukwu

FORMER presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has strongly criticised the recent amendments to Nigeria’s Electoral Act signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, describing the move as a setback for transparency and democratic integrity.
Relatedly, governorship hopeful of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Oyo State, Niyi Aborisade, has cautioned against the misuse of manual result transfer in future elections, warning that it must not become an avenue for electoral manipulation.
On his part, former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, said festering crises in the opposition political parties are fuelling the illusion of a one-party structure in the country.

In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Adebayo accused the Federal Government of prioritising “loopholes over transparency” by weakening provisions for the electronic transmission of election results.
According to the SDP leader, while electronic transmission has not been completely abolished, the new revisions to the 2022 Electoral Act make it discretionary rather than mandatory — a shift he believes could undermine the credibility of future elections.
“I was in Abuja and saw the anger of the Nigerian people after the government approved revisions to the 2022 Electoral Act,” Adebayo wrote. “What should have been mandatory, real-time transmission, has been left open to discretion. That loophole matters.”

The prominent politician argued that making electronic transmission optional effectively returns the system to manual collation as the default practice, increasing the risk of manipulation and eroding public trust.
“When electronic transmission is optional, manual collation of results becomes the practical default. And when results move through opaque channels, trust in the process is damaged,” he said.
The SDP chieftain described the signing of the amended law as “a blow against the very essence of Nigerian democracy,” alleging that the administration is deliberately shielding itself from transparency.

“Removing the mandatory electronic transmission makes it easier to manipulate the results — and that is unacceptable,” Adebayo stated. “This administration is attacking the very democracy that generations of Nigerians fought so hard to secure.”
He further accused President Tinubu of dishonouring the legacy of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, claiming the changes represent “a shameless attempt to remain in power.”
Adebayo maintained that Nigeria should be advancing towards full electronic voting rather than weakening technological safeguards in the electoral process. He pointed out that Nigerians already rely on electronic systems for banking, business and communication, questioning why similar trust should not apply to the protection of votes.

“When votes are transmitted transparently and in real time, there is a record. There is verification. There is accountability,” he added.
ABORISADE, who spoke with journalists about preparations ahead of the 2027 general election, stressed that while the Electoral Act provides for technological innovations such as electronic accreditation and the transmission of results, safeguards must be strengthened to prevent abuse when manual processes are used.
“Electronic transmission of results is critical to transparency. Where technology fails and manual collation becomes necessary, it must not be used as an opportunity to tamper with figures,” he said.

According to him, confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system has been shaken in recent years by allegations of altered figures and discrepancies between polling unit results and final declarations.
“We have seen situations where numbers recorded at polling units were allegedly different from what was eventually announced. That undermines public trust and fuels post-election disputes,” he added.
The ADC chieftain argued that electoral credibility depends not only on legal provisions but also on the integrity of those who implement them.

“The law may be sound, but if individuals are determined to manipulate the process, they will look for loopholes. That is why manual transmission must be strictly monitored and backed by verifiable documentation,” he said.
Aborisade called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen oversight mechanisms, particularly at collation centres, to ensure transparency throughout the process.
He also urged political parties and civil society groups to mobilise voters to remain vigilant during elections.

“Citizens must not only vote; they must follow through lawfully to ensure their votes are protected. Transparency is everyone’s responsibility,” he stated.
OKECHUKWU particularly cited the internalcrisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), calling on parties to put their houses in order to advance the nation’s democracy.
He further dispelled notions that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is working to achieve a one-party system or to run without opposition in 2027.

The APC foundation member also cautioned opposition political parties against “sustained scaremongering” and attempts to demonise Nigeria’s democracy.
Addressing journalists in Enugu over the weekend, Okechukwu appealed to opposition leaders to desist from utterances that could discourage voter participation and undermine democratic institutions.

According to him, democracy becomes the ultimate casualty when political actors deploy negative, alarmist narratives that undermine citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.
Rather than resorting to blame games, he urged opposition leaders to emulate the strategic political organisation demonstrated by President Bola Tinubu, whom he credited with investing time and resources in nationwide voter mobilisation.