|
Listen to article
|
Interim National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, David Mark, has said Senate President Godswill Akpabio should not speak for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, regarding electronic transmission of election results.
The Eastern Updates reports that Akpabio had justified the decision of the Senate to reject mandatory electronic transmission of election results, claiming that there is no network in nine states in Nigeria.
Responding to Akpabio’s comments, Mark, a former Senate President, said Akpabio and the Senate should pass the law and allow INEC to decide on the issue of electronic transmission of results.
Speaking in Abuja, the former Senate President said Nigerians want electronic transmission of results.
He said: “What the ADC is saying is, pass the law, and there should be electronic transmission. Let INEC decide whether they can do it (real-time electronic transmission) or not.
“Don’t speak for INEC. Speak for the National Assembly. What the public wants is let there be electronic transmission.
“Now if INEC cannot do it, it’s their own problem and not for you to speak for INEC. It’s as simple as that but that is just a by-the-way issue, it’s not a serious issue.”
Read Also: INEC Chairman Vows To Deliver Credible 2027 Elections
Nigeria’s electoral commission has warned that no election can be considered credible if voters feel unsafe participating, as preparations intensify for a packed election calendar leading up to the 2027 general elections. Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, delivered the warning in Abuja during the first regular meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for 2026.
The meeting brought together senior officials from security, intelligence, and law-enforcement agencies tasked with safeguarding Nigeria’s electoral process.
Amupitan said public confidence in elections depends not only on administrative preparedness but also on the ability of security agencies to protect voters, election workers, and materials throughout the electoral cycle.
Addressing the gathering, Amupitan stressed that elections lose legitimacy when citizens are afraid to vote, regardless of how well the process is planned on paper. “Elections cannot be credible if citizens feel unsafe to participate,” he said, emphasizing that security is central to electoral integrity.
He noted that Nigeria is entering an especially demanding period, with multiple elections scheduled in the lead-up to the 2027 general polls. These include Area Council elections, bye-elections, and off-cycle governorship contests, all of which require coordinated security planning.
According to the INEC chairman, early engagement with security agencies is critical to managing the scale and complexity of upcoming elections.
Amupitan described 2026 as a “very busy electoral year,” saying the volume of elections would test Nigeria’s institutional readiness and inter-agency cooperation. “As we approach the 2027 general election, public interest and expectations continue to rise,” he said. “While the commission has finalized its timetable in line with the law, the scale and complexity of the elections demand early and sustained security engagement.”
He called for enhanced intelligence gathering, proactive deployment strategies, and seamless coordination among agencies to prevent disruptions, particularly in areas historically prone to election-related violence.
The INEC chairman praised security agencies for their role in the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election held on November 8, 2025, describing it as a positive benchmark.
The election took place barely two weeks after Amupitan assumed office, and he said it demonstrated how professionalism by security personnel can stabilize even volatile environments.
Despite Anambra’s history of election-related security challenges, he said the calm atmosphere on election day allowed INEC to declare a winner on the first ballot without major incidents. “That outcome showed what is possible when security agencies act with discipline, neutrality, and coordination,” he said.
Attention is now shifting to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, scheduled for February 21. Amupitan disclosed that the poll will involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six area councils of the FCT.
He said INEC has completed the batching and delivery of non-sensitive materials and concluded the training of electoral officers and election security personnel. Training for ad-hoc staff began on February 6 and is expected to end on February 15.
To test systems ahead of the vote, INEC will conduct a mock accreditation exercise on Saturday, February 7, in 289 selected polling units across the FCT. Details of the exercise, he said, would be published on the commission’s website.
Despite outlining these preparations, Amupitan cautioned that logistics alone cannot guarantee credible elections. “Administrative preparedness, no matter how thorough, cannot deliver credible elections without effective security coordination,” he said.
He urged security agencies to remain professional and alert, especially in identified flashpoints, warning against complacency as election day approaches.
The chairman emphasized that even isolated incidents of violence or intimidation could undermine public trust and voter turnout.
Amupitan also announced that bye-elections would be conducted on the same day as the FCT Area Council elections in multiple states.
