By Darlington Onyebuchi Agoha
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The halls of the National Assembly, intended to safeguard the will of the people, have instead become the site of a profound democratic regression. By rejecting the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the 10th Senate have effectively handed a blank check to electoral manipulation.
A Deliberate Dismantling of Trust
The Senate’s refusal to make real-time uploads to the IReV portal compulsory is not a technical disagreement; it is a calculated retreat from transparency. By retaining the “discretion” of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to choose the manner of result transfer, lawmakers are deliberately reopening the door for the “glitches” and manual tampering that marred the 2023 elections.
Leadership Under Fire
Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s leadership is now at the center of a “forgery” scandal(shameful). According to senators, including Enyinnaya Abaribe, Aminu Tambuwal, and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, have publicly accused Akpabio of manipulating the Senate’s proceedings to remove provisions that had been agreed upon during executive sessions. This level of internal discord suggests a leadership more committed to partisan interest than national integrity.
Fear of a Free Vote
Civil society groups, such as Move On Nigeria Initiative, and others have correctly identified this legislative move as a “betrayal”. Why is the APC-led Senate so afraid of technology? The rejection of electronic voter card downloads and the shortening of crucial election timelines suggest a desperate attempt to foist “logistical nightmares” on INEC, ensuring that the 2027 elections are as chaotic—and as easily controlled—as possible.
The Transience of Power
Senator Akpabio and his colleagues would do well to remember that the seats they occupy are held in trust, not owned by right. Power is transient. The very lawmakers who today weaken electoral guardrails to protect their own interests may tomorrow find themselves on the receiving end of the same broken system.
History will not remember the titles held or the wealth amassed; it will remember the men and women who chose to trade Nigeria’s democratic future for four more years of unearned privilege. The 10th Senate must be reminded that while they may occupy the office today, they will not be there forever—but their betrayal of the Nigerian voter will be.
“Darlington Onyebuchi Agoha is the National Coordinator of Move On Nigeria InitiatiThe 10th Senate’s Legislative Betrayal
By Darlington Onyebuchi Agoha
The halls of the National Assembly, intended to safeguard the will of the people, have instead become the site of a profound democratic regression. By rejecting the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the 10th Senate have effectively handed a blank check to electoral manipulation.
A Deliberate Dismantling of Trust
The Senate’s refusal to make real-time uploads to the IReV portal compulsory is not a technical disagreement; it is a calculated retreat from transparency. By retaining the “discretion” of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to choose the manner of result transfer, lawmakers are deliberately reopening the door for the “glitches” and manual tampering that marred the 2023 elections.
Leadership Under Fire
Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s leadership is now at the center of a “forgery” scandal(shameful). According to senators, including Enyinnaya Abaribe, Aminu Tambuwal, and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, have publicly accused Akpabio of manipulating the Senate’s proceedings to remove provisions that had been agreed upon during executive sessions. This level of internal discord suggests a leadership more committed to partisan interest than national integrity.
Fear of a Free Vote
Civil society groups, such as Move On Nigeria Initiative, and others have correctly identified this legislative move as a “betrayal”. Why is the APC-led Senate so afraid of technology? The rejection of electronic voter card downloads and the shortening of crucial election timelines suggest a desperate attempt to foist “logistical nightmares” on INEC, ensuring that the 2027 elections are as chaotic—and as easily controlled—as possible.
The Transience of Power
Senator Akpabio and his colleagues would do well to remember that the seats they occupy are held in trust, not owned by right. Power is transient. The very lawmakers who today weaken electoral guardrails to protect their own interests may tomorrow find themselves on the receiving end of the same broken system.
History will not remember the titles held or the wealth amassed; it will remember the men and women who chose to trade Nigeria’s democratic future for four more years of unearned privilege. The 10th Senate must be reminded that while they may occupy the office today, they will not be there forever—but their betrayal of the Nigerian voter will be.
*Darlington Onyebuchi Agoha is the National Coordinator of Move On Nigeria Initiative.
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