Senate President Godswill Akpabio has declared that Nigeria’s electoral system has undergone significant improvement since the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was voted out of power in 2015.
Speaking during the Senate debate on the proposed Electoral Bill 2025 which seeks to repeal and replace the existing 2022 Electoral Act Akpabio contrasted the present electoral climate with what he described as a history of manipulation and irregularities during the PDP era.
Akpabio, who served as Governor of Akwa Ibom State under the PDP between 2007 and 2015, referenced late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s admission that the 2007 presidential election that brought him to power was “flawed and riddled with inconsistencies.”
According to Akpabio, elections conducted during the PDP’s tenure were widely criticized for malpractices, whereas subsequent administrations have taken meaningful steps to improve transparency and fairness through reforms and technology.
The Senate President credited innovations such as the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and continuous voter education campaigns as part of the progress made in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
He emphasized that the new Electoral Bill 2025 will further close loopholes that previously enabled electoral malpractice, enhance credibility, and ensure smoother interpretation of constitutional clauses—such as the two-thirds of states and FCT debate that trailed the 2023 presidential election.
“We must find a way to block these gaps to build a stronger and more credible electoral system,” Akpabio concluded, reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
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