Former officials of Nigeria’s electoral commission are urging lawmakers to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory as the National Assembly prepares to reconcile differing versions of proposed electoral reforms.
Lawmakers are scheduled to meet Tuesday to harmonize amendments to the Electoral Act, with the requirement for immediate upload of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal emerging as one of the most contentious provisions.
Mike Igini, a former resident electoral commissioner, said the decision could affect both the credibility of future elections and lawmakers’ own political fortunes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement Sunday, Igini argued that loopholes in manual collation processes have historically enabled the alteration of results, often to the detriment of candidates who lost party backing but retained grassroots support.
“Publicly viewable results serve as deterrence and would render such tampering manifest and actionable,” he said.
Igini cited high turnover rates in the National Assembly as evidence of systemic weaknesses. He said only 23 of 109 senators were re-elected to the Sixth Senate (2007–2011), representing a 79% turnover. Subsequent assemblies recorded turnover rates ranging from 59% to 77%, including 77% in the current Tenth Senate (2023–2027).
In the House of Representatives, turnover has ranged from 57% to 78% over the same period, he said.
According to Igini, such instability leads to “institutional amnesia,” weak oversight and repeated spending on orientation for new lawmakers.
He dismissed concerns that poor network coverage makes real-time uploads impractical, citing a joint survey by INEC and the Nigerian Communications Commission that reportedly found more than 97% network coverage nationwide before the 2023 elections. He also noted that electronic transmission had been used in multiple off-cycle elections.
“The BVAS device is engineered for both online and offline functionality; network concerns are largely excuses,” he said.
Another former resident electoral commissioner, Jibrin Zarewa of Katsina State, said electronic transmission had already been piloted in by-elections and was technically feasible.
“If it is made mandatory in the law, INEC is capable of executing it,” he said, adding that service providers could address weak network areas.
Asmau Maikudi, a former resident electoral commissioner in Zamfara State, also supported electronic transmission, describing it as consistent with global best practices and urging the National Assembly to include it clearly in the amended law.
However, former INEC federal commissioner Lai Olurode cautioned against complete reliance on technology. He warned that system failures could create uncertainty and potentially trigger unrest.
“Don’t completely remove the element of human agency,” Olurode said, advocating a combination of electronic and manual transmission to reduce the risk of crisis if technical glitches occur.
The debate intensified after the Senate amended the bill to retain electronic transmission but removed the phrase “real-time,” prompting criticism from civil society groups and election stakeholders.
Under the revised clause, presiding officers would upload results electronically, but the manual Form EC8A could serve as the primary record if technological challenges prevent transmission.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio said lawmakers did not eliminate electronic transmission but sought flexibility to avoid legal disputes in areas with poor connectivity.
The House of Representatives and the Senate are expected to reconcile their versions of the bill before forwarding a final amendment for presidential assent.
