Public criticism has intensified following the Nigerian Senate’s decision to amend the Electoral Act to allow electronic transmission of results while permitting manual collation where electronic upload fails.
The amendment, adopted during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, requires presiding officers to transmit results electronically to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after voting. However, it also provides that where electronic transmission is unsuccessful due to network or communication issues, the manual result sheet, Form EC8A, will serve as the primary basis for collation and declaration.
The move comes days after the Senate rejected a proposal to make real-time electronic transmission of results compulsory. Critics argue the revised provision creates a loophole that could undermine electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Civil society organisations, opposition figures and legal experts who spoke described the amendment as a step backward in electoral reforms. Many contend that reliance on manual result sheets in disputed cases could reopen avenues for manipulation.
Responding to the backlash, Senate Spokesman Yemi Adaramodu said the upper chamber would not be intimidated. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he maintained that lawmaking involves diverse opinions and insisted the Senate acted within its constitutional mandate. “We are not worried, we’re not to be intimidated,” he said.
National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko, warned that the provision could trigger disputes at polling units and collation centres, particularly over claims of network failure. He urged lawmakers to either fully commit to electronic transmission or address infrastructure gaps, arguing that the fallback to manual collation creates confusion and tension.
Similarly, former PDP National Auditor Ray Nnaji accused lawmakers of deliberately introducing loopholes to weaken transparency. He claimed public pressure would shape the final outcome of the amendment process and cautioned that resistance could disrupt the electoral timetable if disagreements persist.
The President of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, Barr. Olu Omotayo, said the controversy reflects a broader failure of political leadership. He argued that genuine reforms, including investment in telecommunications infrastructure, should have commenced immediately after the last general election rather than close to another poll cycle.
Public affairs analyst Nduka Odo also criticised the amendment, alleging it empowers INEC to alternate between electronic and manual processes in ways that could affect credibility. He referenced controversies from the 2023 elections, where discrepancies between electronically uploaded results and manually collated figures were reported in some areas.
Meanwhile, Akpabio disclosed that President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the amended bill into law this month after harmonisation with the House of Representatives. A 12-member committee has been constituted to reconcile differences between both chambers’ versions before transmission to the President for assent.