Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said that he would have joined fellow ADC chieftain and Opposition leader, Mr. Peter Obi, and others, in protesting at the National Assembly on Monday over the exclusion of real-time electronic transmission of election results in the amended Electoral Act, if he were in Nigeria.
El-Rufai stated this on Monday during an interview on Trust TV, while reacting to the protest staged at the National Assembly against the Senate’s decision to remove the provision for mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units in the new Electoral Law.
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Asked by the interviewer where he stood on the matter, El-Rufai faulted the Senate for frustrating a clause already passed by the House of Representatives, describing real-time electronic transmission of election results as critical to credible elections.
“It’s unfortunate I have not been able to return to Nigeria, I would have joined Mr. Peter Obi and other party leaders in protesting to the National Assembly to restore the real-time and mandatory transmission of results from the polling unit,” he said.
According to the former governor, electoral malpractice in Nigeria does not occur at polling units but during collation of election results.
“It is the only way we can stop the manipulation that goes on in the coalition centres. That is where the real rigging takes place. Rigging doesn’t take place in the polling units. It is in the coalition centres,” El-Rufai stated.
He expressed concern that despite approval by the House of Representatives, the Senate had continued to frustrate the provision, noting that its implementation would significantly improve the credibility of elections.
“This provision, which has been passed by the House of Representatives, but sadly, being frustrated by the Senate, would have improved the quality of our elections,” he added.
El-Rufai further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the current administration of President Bola Tinubu of opposing electronic transmission of election results for political reasons.
“But we all know why the ruling party and the sitting government don’t want that, because they know they can’t win the elections, and the only way they have a fighting chance is to be able to manipulate the results after people have voted. So I would have joined them,” he said.
The protest at the National Assembly was organised in response to growing concerns by opposition politicians and civil society groups that the exclusion of electronic transmission of election results could undermine transparency and public trust in future elections.