Abuja, Nigeria – Islamic scholar and political activist Dr. Usman Bugaje has accused the Senate under President Godswill Akpabio of undermining Nigeria’s democratic process, citing a pattern of legislative failures and alleged deception.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Bugaje defended the ongoing effort to amend the Electoral Act following a Supreme Court ruling, emphasizing the need for clarity and transparency in elections.
“The whole idea is to conduct a transparent election, and the best way to achieve that is through real-time electronic transmission of results, so that everybody can see exactly where the votes are,” Bugaje said.
He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had recommended mandatory real-time result transmission and that the House of Representatives had already adopted the measure. However, he accused the Senate of resisting the move.
Bugaje also criticized the Senate for previous legislative lapses, including alleged irregularities in tax laws and budgetary processes, which he said have resulted in multiple conflicting budgets and hindered economic planning.
“The Senate leadership has become a major challenge to governance in this country,” Bugaje said. “Businesses cannot plan because they don’t know which budget will be implemented or funded. This kind of irresponsible behavior needs to be addressed.”
He concluded by urging that the amendment ensure mandatory real-time transmission of election results, calling it a measure supported widely across Nigeria and among legislators.
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