ELECTORAL ACT: DAVID MARK PUSHES BACK AGAINST AKPABIO, INSISTS ON REAL-TIME RESULT TRANSMISSION

Former Nigerian Senate President David Mark on Thursday pushed back against comments by current Senate President Godswill Akpabio on proposed amendments to the Electoral Act, saying Akpabio could not speak for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or Nigerians calling for electoral reforms.

Mark, who is the national chairman of the ADC, spoke at the public presentation of The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre in Abuja, where he chaired the event.

Akpabio had earlier urged critics of the Electoral Act amendment process, including the ADC, to exercise patience, saying the Senate had yet to conclude work on the bill. He warned that provisions for real-time electronic transmission of election results did not adequately consider Nigeria’s infrastructural challenges, particularly poor electricity supply and limited internet access in rural areas, and could affect election outcomes.

Responding, Mark said the Senate President’s position did not reflect the stance of the ADC, describing the party’s demand as clear.

“The National Assembly should pass the law and let INEC complain if there is a problem,” Mark said, referring to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He added that neither INEC nor the public had raised objections to real-time transmission of results but were instead demanding greater transparency and credibility in elections.

Mark said, citing infrastructural constraints at the lawmaking stage, risked weakening public confidence in the electoral reform process, arguing that electoral laws should be framed to safeguard the integrity of votes rather than restrict reforms in advance.

The exchange highlights growing differences between lawmakers and political actors over the scope and pace of Nigeria’s electoral reforms ahead of future elections.

The event was attended by political leaders, lawmakers, and policy experts and included a review of The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria by legal scholar Maxwell Gidado, SAN.