Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised the Senate’s approval of a mixed system of electronic and manual transmission of election results, describing the move as “a recipe for confusion” that undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Atiku said Nigerians had clear expectations for a transparent, real-time electronic transmission of results at all levels of elections, noting that the adoption of a hybrid system departs from what the law and the electorate demand.
“The expectations of Nigerians are for real-time electronic transmission of election results to the various levels of the elections. But what we got is a mixture of electronic and manual transmission, which is going to cause more confusion or chaos,” he said.
He argued that Nigeria already operates a single-tier electoral transmission framework designed to ensure credibility and efficiency, stressing that any deviation from this standard weakens public trust.
“They knew that we have a single-tier electoral transmission system, which is real-time electronic. That would be our preference,” Atiku added.
Calling for a united front, the former vice president urged opposition political parties to collectively challenge the Senate’s position, insisting that the issue should not be allowed to stand.
“I think there is a need for all the opposition political parties to come together to pursue this issue. We shouldn’t allow it to rest where they want it to rest. Absolutely not. I don’t support that,” he said.
Addressing questions about his political future, Atiku dismissed speculation about a possible 2027 presidential bid, saying his current focus is on party building rather than electioneering.
“The issue of contesting the 2027 election does not even arise,” he said, noting that he remains committed to strengthening the African Democratic Congress (ADC) nationwide.
“I am a member of ADC, and we are busy trying to make sure that our structures are firmly rooted from the ward level, local government level, state level, up to the national level. We are mobilising people and registering at the same time,” Atiku explained.
On the debate surrounding zoning, Atiku clarified that the ADC does not operate such an arrangement.
“We have no zoning provision in the ADC’s constitution. In fact, the only party that has zoning in its constitution is the PDP,” he said.
Atiku’s remarks add to growing concerns among opposition figures over recent electoral reforms and their potential impact on the credibility of future elections.
