Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has said Nigeria’s electoral system should function effectively across the country just like the banking sector, despite concerns about network coverage.
Obi made the statement while responding to remarks credited to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who suggested that real-time electronic transmission of election results may not work reliably in some parts of the country due to poor connectivity.
Rejecting the concern, Obi argued that technological limitations should not be used as justification for weakening transparency in the electoral process. He maintained that if banks are able to deliver uninterrupted services nationwide, election result transmission should also be achievable.
On Monday, the former Anambra State governor led a group of protesters to the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to demonstrate against the Senate’s rejection of real-time electronic transmission of election results. The protesters called for measures they say would improve transparency and credibility in the conduct of elections.
