Leading anchors on Arise News, Reuben Abati and Rufai Oseni, engaged in a heated on-air debate Thursday over the newly amended Electoral Act.
The controversy follows the recent passage of the Electoral Amendment Act by the National Assembly, which provides for the mandatory electronic transmission of election results while retaining manual collation as a backup.
President Bola Tinubu assented to the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 less than 24 hours after it was approved by lawmakers, a move that has generated mixed reactions across the country.
During the live broadcast, Oseni criticized the development, arguing that the National Assembly had failed in its representative role.
“They passed the law to make it mandatory for electronic transmission. Once you have two arms that are supposed to be separated and the Senate President is said to be loyal to the President, then it’s a problem for Nigeria because we can’t get effective representation,” he said.
Oseni further alleged that the Senate was acting in the interest of the executive arm rather than the electorate.
“With due respect, the Senate doesn’t represent us. They’re there to represent the interest of the president. That’s why they are doing everything in his interest. Let’s call a spade a spade. This is a democracy for Christ’s sake, not an authoritarian or military government,” he added.
However, Abati countered the argument, defending party loyalty within democratic systems.
“Even in the United States, you go with your party. In the US, which is not a parliamentary system, there is that faithfulness among party members. The opposition, the minority, can still have a say,” he stated.
He questioned what critics expected from the Senate leadership.
“What do you expect Senate President Akpabio to do? Go against his own party or against the president of the ruling party to which he belongs?” Abati asked.
The exchange reflects broader national debates over the implications of the amended Electoral Act and the balance of power between Nigeria’s executive and legislative arms of government.
