By Ted Ebute
If anyone still doubts that the average Nigerian politician is driven primarily by self-interest, the recent happenings in the Senate should put those doubts to rest. What unfolded over the past days was not merely a procedural disagreement; it was a troubling demonstration of how far some of our lawmakers are willing to go to weaken accountability in order to protect political advantage.
After a closed-door session, the Senate reportedly emerged with an understanding that would have strengthened transparency in the electoral process.
Central to that understanding was the idea of real-time electronic transmission of results—an innovation meant to reduce manipulation and restore public confidence.
But in a move that can only be described as crafty, the Senate later altered what was allegedly agreed. When public backlash followed, they reconvened, not to correct the wrong, but to produce yet another version that cleverly omitted the phrase “real-time.”
That omission was not accidental.
Words matter in law, and removing “real-time” dilutes the entire purpose of electronic transmission.
Without real-time reporting, delays create room for interference. What should have been a safeguard against fraud was reduced to a cosmetic reform.
Worse still, the revised position went further. It introduced “manual transmission” to be conducted simultaneously with electronic reporting and declared that in the event of any discrepancies, the manual records would be the only legally admissible version of the result sheet.
This is astonishing. Manual records are the most vulnerable to alteration, especially while in transit.
By making them the final authority, the Senate effectively elevated the least reliable method over the most secure one.
Through this series of acts, our senators have sent a loud and clear message: they are far more comfortable with opacity than with transparency.
Rather than align themselves with the yearnings of Nigerians for credible elections and accountable governance, they appear detached from the realities of citizens who suffer the consequences of rigged processes and failed leadership.
Democracy is not sustained by speeches alone; it is sustained by systems that protect the will of the people. When lawmakers weaken those systems, they weaken democracy itself. Nigerians deserve better than clever wordplay and legislative gymnastics designed to preserve old habits.
They deserve leaders who see power as a trust, not a tool for personal or partisan gain.
At this critical moment, the question is not just what the Senate has done, but what Nigerians will do in response. Silence, as always, will only embolden those who fear transparency more than they value the people they claim to serve.
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