Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has delivered a scathing indictment of Nigeria’s electoral amendment process, describing the 2022 Electoral Act as “democratic sabotage” and warning that the nation risks sliding into another cycle of disputed polls and legitimacy crisis ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, Adebayo accused the National Assembly of mistaking cosmetic amendments for genuine reform, insisting that Nigeria urgently requires a comprehensive restructuring of its electoral architecture rather than what he termed “piecemeal legislative tinkering.”
“What they are doing is amendment, not reform. If we are serious about reform, we must go as far as ensuring that the appointment of INEC officials is handled by non-partisan bodies, just as it is done in established democracies. We should embrace full electronic processes. We already operate electronic banking, electronic payments, electronic verification—why should elections remain largely manual?” he queried.
According to him, authentic reform must confront the structural foundations of electoral fraud, political manipulation, and institutional fragility. He called for stringent campaign finance regulations, full transparency in political funding, and strict enforcement mechanisms to deter electoral misconduct.
“Reform means deep structural changes. It means limiting how much money can be spent, making political donations transparent, and ensuring that those who violate the law face serious consequences,” he said.
Adebayo warned that some proposed amendments before the National Assembly could weaken, rather than strengthen, electoral integrity. He criticized moves to reduce timelines for election notices and ease penalties for electoral offenders, including vote buyers and perpetrators of electoral violence.
“That is not reform; that is regression,” he declared.
The SDP chieftain identified the controversy surrounding electronic transmission of results as central to public outrage. He stressed that electronic transmission from polling units is the minimum safeguard required for credible elections.
“We are not even asking for electronic voting. We are asking for electronic transmission of results. There is a big difference. After votes are counted and recorded at the polling unit, the results should be uploaded immediately. Once uploaded, they become tamper-proof and visible to all Nigerians,” he explained.
He described post-poll collation centres as the primary breeding ground for manipulation.
“The real problem begins when results leave the polling unit. That is where figures are altered, inflated, or replaced. By the time they reach the final collation centre, they may have changed several times. Electronic transmission eliminates that vulnerability,” he added.
Citing his experience in the 2023 presidential election, Adebayo alleged discrepancies in the results recorded in Kwara State.
“At polling units, I recorded about 122,000 votes, but the announced figure was 22,000. With electronic transmission from the outset, such discrepancies would not occur,” he claimed.
Looking ahead, Adebayo confirmed his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, irrespective of zoning considerations.
“Whether zoning favors me or not, I will run. I have informed my party,” he stated, dismissing speculation about defecting to another political platform.
“I joined the SDP at 19. The party gave me its presidential ticket. I have no reason to look elsewhere,” he affirmed.
As debate over electoral amendments intensifies, Adebayo’s remarks are likely to amplify calls for sweeping reforms to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process before 2027.
