Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has strongly criticized Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act, warning that it poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Monday, Adebayo said the provision in the amendment requiring the prompt transmission of election results was deliberately designed to prevent manipulation of the electoral process.
He argued that delays in transmitting results create opportunities for interference after voting has ended, which he described metaphorically as allowing “the devil” to influence decisions once elections have been conducted.
According to Adebayo, the office of the Senate President demands discipline, integrity, and respect for democratic values. He recalled that past holders of the position, including Nnamdi Azikiwe, Joseph Wayas, and Chuba Okadigbo, upheld the dignity and responsibility attached to the office.
The former SDP flagbearer warned against what he described as “legislative rascality,” stressing that the controversy surrounding the Electoral Act amendment goes beyond partisan politics and strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s democratic survival.
Adebayo further emphasized the constitutional role of the National Assembly, noting that the Senate is a co-equal arm of government with far-reaching powers, including the authority to approve decisions as weighty as whether the country should go to war.
He added that anyone occupying the office of Senate President must rise above personal or external interests, likening the position in responsibility and stature to that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“The provision in the proposed new Electoral Act is saying that you send the election results with your God’s heart before the devil starts talking to you,” Adebayo said.
“The devil has started talking to Akpabio now, and that is why we want to stop him from the beginning.
“This position of Senate President is not new. Nnamdi Azikiwe was there. Joseph Wayas was there. Chuba Okadigbo was there. Why should he want to end democracy with legislative rascality? This is not a political issue; it is fundamental.
“You cannot occupy that office and become an errand boy for foreign or outside interests. The Senate has enormous powers on behalf of the people. Once you sit on that seat, you must be serious. It is a position comparable to that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. ”.
