In a public memo titled “Know When to Stop Playing with Fire,” shared on her X handle, Ezekwesili said Nigeria’s federal lawmakers have once again demonstrated a pattern of conduct that prioritises personal and partisan interests over national development and the will of citizens.
Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has strongly criticised the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives over their handling of proposed amendments to the Electoral Act, accusing lawmakers of deliberately undermining electoral reforms and betraying public trust.
In a public memo titled “Know When to Stop Playing with Fire,” shared on her X handle, Ezekwesili said Nigeria’s federal lawmakers have once again demonstrated a pattern of conduct that prioritises personal and partisan interests over national development and the will of citizens.
“The wisest and free advice that the Nigerian Senate as well as the House of Representatives can receive from all well-meaning citizens of our country now is to know when to stop playing with fire,” she said.
According to the former World Bank Vice President, the refusal to make real-time uploads from polling units mandatory is a calculated move to preserve a "discretionary loophole."
Ezekwesili described the Senate as an institution that many Nigerians now regard as “ignoble and withering,” alleging that it has consistently frustrated reforms aimed at strengthening democracy, fighting corruption and improving governance.
“Nigerians mostly see the Senate as an ignoble and withering institution that delights in deliberate betrayal of public trust,” she stated. “Our lawmakers at large are well known for consistently prioritising personal and partisan interests over constituent welfare.”
She listed several alleged failings of the legislature, including blocking or watering down electoral and anti-corruption reforms, approving inflated legislative budgets while public services deteriorate, and confirming “clearly unfit nominees” for executive positions in exchange for political favours.
Her comments followed the Senate’s recent decision to vote against a proposed amendment that would have made electronic transmission of election results mandatory in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
Ezekwesili rejected the Senate’s claim that it did not oppose electronic transmission.
“The Senate yesterday voted against a proposed amendment to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory and then proceeded to try to deceive Nigerians by claiming that it ‘did not reject electronic transmission,’” she said.
She argued that what lawmakers actually did was worse.
“What the Senators did in that opaque closed plenary session was to retain the critical clause — Section 60 of the Electoral Act 2022, specifically subsection (5) — which says that ‘the presiding officer shall transfer the results… in a manner as prescribed by the Commission,’” Ezekwesili explained.
According to her, retaining this wording preserves a dangerous loophole by leaving the method and timing of result transmission to the discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rather than mandating real-time electronic upload from polling units.
“By deliberately retaining the vague language that leaves the method and timing of transmitting election results to the discretion of INEC, rather than requiring real-time uploads, the Senate has once again weaponised ambiguity in our electoral law,” she said.
Ezekwesili insisted that the action was neither accidental nor a technical oversight.
“The brazen actions of the Senators were neither an innocent choice nor some sort of technical oversight. It was a calculated decision taken with full knowledge of recent history,” she stated.
She recalled that the same clause was central to the controversies that followed the 2023 general elections.
“Every Nigerian who paid attention to the 2023 general elections knows that the exact clause the Senate deliberately reaffirmed is the same discretionary loophole that was at the centre of the crisis that terribly eroded public trust and fatally damaged the integrity of our democracy,” she said.
According to Ezekwesili, Nigerians were promised real-time electronic transmission in practice during the 2023 elections, but the absence of a clear legal mandate allowed INEC to act otherwise.
“Real-time electronic transmission from polling units was promised in practice but not enforced in law. When it failed, Nigerians were told to accept ‘procedural explanations’ instead of verifiable outcomes,” she said.
She further argued that the legal ambiguity enabled court decisions that deepened national divisions and weakened confidence in democratic institutions.
“It was that same clause that offered a badly compromised judiciary the opportunity to pronounce judgments which created confusion, distrust, national tension, and delegitimised the government that was sworn into office,” Ezekwesili said.
The former minister warned that repeating the same legislative choices could push the country toward another legitimacy crisis.
“That gap nearly pushed the country into turmoil,” she cautioned, urging lawmakers to reverse course before further damage is done.
Ezekwesili called on legislators to listen to Nigerians and enact clear, enforceable provisions that guarantee transparent, real-time electronic transmission of results.
“The National Assembly must stop pretending and start acting in the interest of the people,” she said. “Nigeria’s democracy cannot survive on vague laws, discretionary loopholes, and cosmetic reforms.”
She added that citizens are watching closely and will hold lawmakers accountable for decisions that affect the credibility of future elections.
“The political class must understand that Nigerians are exhausted by corruption, bad governance, and elite impunity,” Ezekwesili said. “Playing games with the electoral system is playing with fire.”