A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has slammed the Nigerian Senate for rejecting key provisions in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, describing it as a setback to electoral integrity. The rejected provisions include allowing voters to download missing or unissued voter cards, blocking electronic transmission of election results, and compressing critical electoral timelines ¹.
The CSOs argue that these changes weaken public scrutiny, constrain institutional preparedness, and increase the risk of electoral manipulation. They also expressed concern over the rejection of a proposed 10-year ban on electoral offenders, saying it undermines efforts to curb vote-buying and corruption ².
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has also criticized the Senate, warning that their actions could further inflame public frustration and undermine Nigeria's democracy. The Senate's decision has sparked widespread outrage, with opposition parties and civil society groups calling for the reversal of the decision ³ ⁴.
The controversy surrounds the Senate's handling of Clause 60(3) of the amendment bill, which concerns the electronic transmission of election results. The CSOs and opposition parties had pushed for mandatory electronic transmission to boost transparency and reduce manipulation ⁵.
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