By ZAKAA LAZARUS
A former presidential candidate and political activist, Chief Peter Ameh, has strongly criticized the Nigerian Senate over its recent amendment to Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, describing the revision as a “sham” and a deliberate setback to electoral integrity.
In a statement signed and issued in Abuja on Tuesday, Ameh said the Senate’s decision to allow electronic transmission of election results from polling units only “provided the system does not fail” amounts to mere cosmetic tinkering rather than genuine electoral reform.
According to him, the revised clause is not materially different from the earlier provision widely criticized for its ambiguity, arguing that the conditionality attached to electronic transmission creates an “escape hatch” capable of undermining transparency in the electoral process.
He warned that tying result transmission to the caveat of system failure opens the door to manipulation, particularly at collation centres, where manual interference could be justified on the grounds of technical glitches.
Describing the amendment as a “Wayo twist,” Ameh alleged that the provision could be exploited by those in positions of authority to influence election outcomes, thereby sustaining public distrust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
“The more the law appears to change, the more it remains the same,” he said, insisting that Nigerians had consistently demanded mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal without conditions or loopholes.
Ameh further argued that the Senate’s action betrays public trust, preserves vulnerabilities to result alteration, and threatens the credibility of future elections, particularly the 2027 general polls.
He accused lawmakers of disregarding citizens’ aspirations for transparent, free, and fair elections.
The political activist, therefore, called on civil society organisations, the media, international observers, and other stakeholders to reject what he termed a half-hearted reform and intensify advocacy for credible electoral justice.
“Our votes must count, and our democracy must not be held hostage by self-serving political interests,” he stated.
