A former Rivers State chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Apostle Eugene Ogu, has petitioned the United States, the United Nations, and the international community over the National Assembly’s refusal to approve direct electronic transmission of election results in real time.
Ogu described the stance of the federal legislature as a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy, urging global institutions to intervene and support efforts to safeguard transparent electoral processes.
In a petition made public in Port Harcourt on Friday, the cleric also called on the European Union and pro-democracy organisations worldwide to take a stand against what he termed anti-people tendencies within Nigeria’s political system.
He warned that actions capable of undermining credible elections could destabilise the country and insisted that only a transparent process anchored on compulsory electronic transmission of results would reflect the will of the people.
According to him, Nigerians have endured poor governance outcomes linked to corruption, weak institutions, and lack of accountability, stressing that the National Assembly must not compromise the country’s democratic future.
Ogu alleged that the Senate’s refusal to pass legislation supporting real-time electronic transmission could open the door to electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He appealed to international partners, labour unions, student bodies, professional associations, and religious organisations to mount pressure on Nigerian authorities to pass the bill into law.
The cleric also urged foreign governments to reconsider granting travel privileges to Nigerian politicians until electoral reforms that guarantee credible elections are implemented.
Ogu further cautioned Senate President Godswill Akpabio and lawmakers against trivialising the matter, warning that failure to ensure transparent elections could expose the electoral umpire and security agencies to heightened tension during future polls.
He maintained that Nigeria’s greatest democratic legacy would be the establishment of a free, fair, and credible electoral system that reflects the genuine choice of citizens.
