By Hon. Kenneth Gbandi
Democracy, like freedom itself, rarely collapses in one dramatic moment. It dies gradually, weakened by silence, normalized injustice, and the slow erosion of safeguards designed to protect the will of the people. Today, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) stands accused, not merely by opposition voices but by a growing chorus of skeptical Nigerians, of presiding over a dangerous descent toward democratic uncertainty. The question before us is stark: will Nigeria defend its democracy now, or watch it slip away in plain sight?
Across the nation, skepticism toward the APC-led government is no longer whispered in private circles; it is openly debated in markets, campuses, civil society forums, and even within the halls of the National Assembly of Nigeria itself. Citizens who once believed in reform through electoral innovation now look on with growing concern as some lawmakers appear willing to pull every institutional lever to subvert the will of Nigerians.
The attempted amendment of the Electoral Act, one that sought to weaken or effectively remove real-time electronic transmission of election results sent shockwaves across the country. Real-time transmission, though imperfect as it may be, remains one of the most significant safeguards against manipulation. It is the bridge between the ballot box and public trust. When that bridge is tampered with, suspicion naturally follows.
It was only after a fierce backlash from well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organizations, and democracy advocates that the initial attempt met resistance. Yet rather than retreat, the dance of shame simply shifted chambers, from the Senate to the Green Chamber where legislative maneuvering has continued under the shadow of controversy. What should have been a transparent and patriotic debate now resembles a calculated attempt to institutionalize ambiguity, turning a mandatory transparency mechanism into one made discretionary, vulnerable to external pressures and political interference.
For even the most optimistic Nigerian who still believes in free and fair elections, this moment feels like a rude awakening. The effort to water down real-time result transmission does not inspire confidence; it signals preparation, a preparation for elections where opacity replaces accountability. The optimism that democracy would naturally deepen through technology and reform is being buried under procedural tricks and political expediency. When lawmakers appear more invested in controlling outcomes than protecting process, democracy itself becomes the casualty.
The opposition’s in NASS refusal to be rolled over, despite immense pressure, has become one of the few rays of hope in this unfolding drama. Their resistance and the resistance of Nigerians as displaced at the National Assembly underscores a fundamental truth: institutions survive only when courageous individuals choose principle over convenience. But opposition alone cannot safeguard democracy. The Nigerian public must remain vigilant, vocal, and unyielding in defense of electoral integrity.
History will remember this period as a defining test. Nigerians have endured too much economic hardship, insecurity, and declining trust in governance to now accept the erosion of their electoral voice. Any attempt to make transparency optional is an insult to citizens who risk their safety to vote.
The path forward is not complicated, though it requires courage. First, the real-time electronic transmission of election results must remain mandatory and legally protected, not left to the discretion of powerful interests. Second, the National Assembly must recommit itself to being the guardian, not the gravedigger, of democratic accountability. Third, civil society, the media, and ordinary citizens must sustain pressure against any legislative maneuver designed to weaken electoral credibility both online and offline, in schools, churches, mosques, markets places and town halls.
Nigeria’s democratic journey has never been easy, but it has always moved forward because Nigerians refused to surrender hope. Today, that hope demands action. The warning signs are clear; the stakes could not be higher.
If democracy is to survive and flourish under this administration, transparency must triumph over manipulation, and patriotism must prevail over political survival instincts. This is not merely about one election cycle or one party. It is about the soul of the nation.
The time to rescue democracy is now because later may simply be too late.
Hon. Kenneth Gbandi is a veteran diaspora and ADC Diaspora Leader, at the forefront of sustained advocacy for credible elections, electoral technology reform, and accountable governance in Nigeria.
