A former Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Akin Osuntokun, says the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of election results does not portend well for the growth of Nigeria’s democracy.

Osuntokun, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who recently joined African Democratic Congress (ADC) made this remark in an interview with a correspondent of the agency on Friday in Lagos.

He was reacting to the Senate’s decision to exclude electronic transmission of results from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 passed on Wednesday.

“It (Rejection of e-transmission of election results) does not portend good omen, it does not portend good for the growth of democracy in Nigeria.

“The growth of democracy is rooted in accountability and the integrity of elections.

“So anything that makes elections less accountable makes the election less credible. Automatically, it is a drag and an obstruction of the growth of democracy in Nigeria.

“It does not serve the purpose of democratic consolidation, so far as the elections that are conducted on that basis will not meet the bar or threshold of credible election,” Osuntokun said

He described the move as suspicious and logically linked to possible manipulation of elections.

Osuntokun added: “The logical interpretation of what they have done is that they want to look for avenues or contrive avenues where the elections can be manipulated.

“That is the logical interpretation of what they have done.”

Osuntokun said there was no convincing explanation or justification for rejecting electronic transmission.

He added: “What is the explanation? There is no tenable explanation for what they have done.

“Using the e-transmission makes the election or the counting of votes less susceptible to manual interference in the results that are declared.

“So, what we have been told is that any instrument, any intervention that will make the election less amenable to manipulation, they do not want it.”

Osuntokun, however, expressed doubt that the decision would discourage voter turnout in future elections.

He said voters were still likely to participate, but would become more vigilant.

Osuntokun said: “So, what people will do when they go to vote is to physically remain there.

“They will show as much as possible that the votes that are counted are credible and are votes that were duly cast.”

He warned that distrust about the electoral process could trigger tension at collation centres.

“If voters have this kind of mentality and have this distrust that the system is being deliberately manipulated, it will provoke anger, suspicion, indignation and invite physical interference of voters

“However, I do not think that it will affect turnout.

“It will just make them more indignant. It will foster a lot of indignation.

“It is possible that the voters react with indignation. Participation may be more aggressive to ensure that their vote counts,” he added.

NAN reports that the Senate had on Wednesday passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 after the third reading.

The upper legislative chamber, however, rejected a proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3 of the bill, which sought to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.

Lawmakers opposed to the proposal, citing technical and logistical concerns around its implementation nationwide.

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has frowned at the court ruling that nullified the national convention of the party in Ibadan 2025.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, George said the presiding judge acted and talked as if she was in beer parlour.

The elder statesman said he is absolutely disgusted by the judgement, which recognized the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike-backed faction.

Recall that a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan nullified the PDP National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15, 2025.

In the ruling, presiding judge, Justice Uche Agomoh, barred members of the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee, NWC, from parading themselves as national officers of the PDP.

The judgment also recognized the Wike-led faction of the party.

Reacting on Friday, George said, “INEC monitored the National Convention of our party in Ibadan, as that is the party’s procedure. It is curious to know where and how the convention of the Wike faction was monitored, if at all.

“The judgement from Ibadan deviated from the matter before the judge; we’ll appeal this judgement.

“The judge veered out, started talking as if she was in a beer parlour. It’s unfortunate that this is the quality of people you have. I am absolutely disgusted. At this age, I have seen. It just reminded me. Where are the likes of Justice JIC Taylor in Lagos and so on?

“I have seen it before, and I’m happy that God has kept my life to this stage. Let us do what is just. People will come, people will go. What has happened is only a history that will remind you if you do well, and if you mess up and create mayhem. I hope they won’t run away because if heavens fall, nobody will escape.”

The All Progressives Congress has replaced Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, with former Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, as Chairman of the National Convention Central Coordination Committee ahead of the party’s March 27 and 28, 2026 convention.

This was contained in a statement signed by the National Secretary of the APC, Surajudeen Basiru, and posted on the party’s official X page on Friday.

“In further consultation with the leadership and national stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Central Coordination Committee for the 2020 National Convention has been reconstituted.

“Sub-committees of the Central Coordination Committee will be constituted and announced in due course,” the statement read.

Uzodimma, who was earlier named chairman of the committee, has now been reassigned as treasurer following a fresh reconstitution approved by the party leadership.

The party also expanded the membership of the committee from 73 to 90, bringing in additional chieftains, including Senator Barry Mpigi and other senior party figures.

Under the revised structure, former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, was named Vice Chairman I, while Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, will serve as Vice Chairman II.

Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, was retained as Secretary of the committee.

The changes come barely days after the APC had unveiled Uzodimma as chairman of the 73-member committee, a move that signalled intensified preparations for the convention, which will culminate in the election of new members of the party’s National Working Committee.