Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately resisting electronic transmission of election results because it fears losing future elections.
Amaechi made the allegation while addressing protesters at the National Assembly in Abuja, as pressure mounts over the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the refusal to clearly mandate real-time electronic transmission of results is not about technical challenges but political survival. He warned that allowing one party to dictate the rules of elections would pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Calling for a united front, Amaechi urged opposition parties to set aside their differences and confront what he described as an attempt by the ruling party to dominate the country’s electoral process.
“I believe the opposition parties should come out—PDP, ADC, everybody—should come out and protest against the attempt of one party to hijack the electoral system,” he said.
Responding to claims that the protest could be hijacked by opposition interests, Amaechi fired back, questioning the APC’s own conduct and motives.
“If we come out and they say the opposition has hijacked the protest, what is APC doing? Are they not hijacking the process already? What are they afraid of?” he asked.
He further expressed disbelief that the ruling party feels threatened despite its political dominance, pointing to the number of states under APC control and the wave of defections into the party.
“I thought they said they have 31 governors. Tinubu is not Jonathan. The only way a good politician knows he has done well is through the people,” Amaechi stated.
The former governor also dismissed expectations that either Senate President Godswill Akpabio or President Bola Tinubu would respond to public concerns, insisting that sustained pressure from opposition parties and civil society groups remains the only option.
He stressed that protests would continue until lawmakers reverse their stance on electronic transmission of results and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, security around the National Assembly Complex was significantly tightened on Tuesday, as operatives of the Nigeria Police Force barricaded major access roads ahead of an emergency plenary session convened by the Senate.
The protest, which began on Monday, is being coordinated by human rights activist Aisha Yusuf, in collaboration with several civil society organisations, all demanding transparent and tamper-proof elections.
As tensions rise, the standoff has deepened political divisions, turning the Electoral Act amendment into a defining battle over the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy ahead of 2027.
