Senate President Godswill Akpabio says Nigeria’s electoral system has witnessed significant progress since the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) left power in 2015.
Speaking during Wednesday’s plenary as the Senate debated a bill to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and introduce a new Electoral Bill 2025, Akpabio reflected on the evolution of Nigeria’s democracy and lessons from past elections.
The Senate President, who served as Akwa Ibom State Governor (2007–2015) under the PDP, said elections during the party’s tenure were plagued by irregularities and m@nipulation.
“You will agree with me that since the PDP left, elections have improved tremendously in this country,” Akpabio said. “I recall that in 2007, when I was elected governor, the then President, the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, publicly admitted that the election that brought him to power was flawed and riddled with inconsistencies.”
He noted that subsequent governments had worked to “block the holes” that enabled electoral malpractice, adding that while challenges persist, reforms and technology have improved electoral credibility.
Akpabio also commented on the 2023 presidential election debate over the interpretation of “two-thirds of the states and the FCT,” calling it unnecessary.
“Some argued that winning the FCT alone was enough to become president. That debate wasted valuable time until the Supreme Court clarified the issue,” he stated.
The Senate President emphasized that the proposed Electoral Bill 2025 aims to strengthen democracy, close existing loopholes, and ensure greater transparency.
“We must find a way to block these gaps to build a stronger and more credible electoral system,” he concluded.
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