The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded full implementation of the Electoral Act provisions on electronic transmission of results in the 2027 general elections, warning that it would resist any attempt to manipulate the process or undermine the will of Nigerians.
Section 64 (4), (5), and (6) of the Electoral Act 2022 mandates the recording and transmission of election results directly from polling units using the Smart Card Reader (SCR) or any other electronic device approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC had admitted that “glitches” marred the real-time transmission of the 2023 presidential results, sparking outrage across the country.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the party was deeply concerned about what he described as “institutional manipulation” of past elections.
Bellnews reports that Ologunagba said, “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.”
He stressed that the survival of Nigeria’s democracy rests on INEC guaranteeing that “every vote counts and every vote is seen to count.”
Ologunagba argued that Nigeria already has the technology and infrastructure to ensure seamless electronic transmission of results, but accused INEC of deliberately failing to deploy them fully.
“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 warned.
He stated that the 2027 elections must be free, fair, transparent, and devoid of excuses. He said, “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.”
The PDP spokesman also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of overheating the polity with premature campaigns while abandoning governance.
He described APC’s flurry of endorsements as a sign of panic, saying, “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.”
Ologunagba charged the ruling party to let its achievements, not endorsements, stating, “Nigerians are tired of photo opportunities and empty endorsements splashed across the pages of newspapers while hunger and poverty deepen in our communities.”
He further alleged that the APC had shifted its focus entirely to early electioneering, leaving Nigerians to struggle with worsening living conditions.
“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 added.