Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said the country’s electoral system has seen significant progress since the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) left power in 2015.
Speaking during Wednesday’s plenary session, as senators debated a bill to repeal the 2022 Electoral Act and introduce a new Electoral Bill for 2025, Akpabio reflected on Nigeria’s democratic journey and the changes that have shaped its elections.
Akpabio, who served as governor of Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015 under the PDP, said elections during his party’s time in power were often marred by irregularities and manipulation.
“You will agree with me that since the PDP left, elections have improved tremendously in this country,” he 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.”
The Senate President credited subsequent administrations for introducing reforms and technology that have helped strengthen the credibility of elections, even though challenges remain.
Akpabio also addressed the controversy over the interpretation of “two-thirds of the states and the FCT” in the 2023 presidential election, calling the debate unnecessary.
“Some argued that winning the FCT alone was enough to become president,” he said. “That debate wasted valuable time until the Supreme Court clarified the issue.”
He added that the proposed new Electoral Bill aims to close existing loopholes and promote transparency in future elections.
“We must continue to block these gaps to build a stronger and more credible electoral system,” Akpabio concluded.