The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a stern warning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding strict compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act mandating electronic transmission of results during the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the party will resist any attempt to manipulate the electoral process or undermine the will of Nigerians.
Citing Sections 64 (4), (5) and (6) of the Electoral Act 2022, Ologunagba noted that results must be recorded and transmitted directly from polling units using BVAS or any other device designated by INEC. He insisted that Nigerians will not tolerate a repeat of the “glitches” that marred the real-time transmission of results during the 2023 presidential polls.
> “There must be no glitches in 2027. If POS machines work seamlessly in the remotest parts of the country, then BVAS cannot conveniently fail on election day. That would amount to deliberate institutional manipulation, and Nigerians will not accept it,” Ologunagba declared.
He stressed that the technology and infrastructure already exist for seamless electronic transmission, accusing INEC of deliberately failing to deploy them fully in past elections.
The PDP spokesman warned that only transparent, real-time result transmission can safeguard Nigeria’s democracy:
> “Votes must count and be seen to count. Any attempt to abridge Nigerians’ rights to choose their leaders will be firmly resisted by our party and by the Nigerian people.”
Ologunagba also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of overheating the polity with early campaigns, describing them as a “panic response” to PDP’s resurgence. He dismissed the wave of endorsements for President Bola Tinubu as an attempt to create an illusion of popularity.
> “If the APC were truly performing, they wouldn’t need endorsements. Nigerians are hungry, struggling with school fees, and battling poverty, yet this government imposes policies like the planned five per cent petroleum tax. That is not governance; it is punishment,” he said.
He concluded that the PDP will spearhead efforts to protect Nigeria’s democracy and ensure that the 2027 elections are free, fair, transparent, and credible.
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