The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged lawmakers to exercise caution in refining electoral laws, even as Nigeria’s political system grapples with contentious proposals on electronic transmission of poll results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing stakeholders on a current affairs programme, IPAC National Chairman Yusuf Danteli emphasised that reforms must strengthen transparency and public trust without inadvertently creating new vulnerabilities in the electoral process.
“The goal is to ensure that any changes do not erode public confidence,” Danteli said, highlighting the operational challenges observed in past elections, particularly during the 2023 cycle.
Electronic Transmission: Infrastructure or Impediment?
At the centre of the debate is the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act 2022, with lawmakers divided on whether to mandate real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) result portal.
Supporters of mandatory real-time transmission argue that it would enhance electoral credibility, reduce manipulation, and improve public trust. Opponents, including some legislators, caution that Nigeria’s internet and power infrastructure limitations could render rigid requirements impracticable.
Senate Majority Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele recently stated that broadband penetration and network reliability remain uneven nationwide, and mandating real-time transmission without adequate safeguards could disrupt the electoral timeline and disenfranchise voters in underserved areas.
National Assembly Under Pressure
The National Assembly is poised to reconvene in an emergency plenary session to harmonise differing positions from the Senate and the House of Representatives. The core issue is the legal status of electronic transmission under the amended Electoral Act — whether uploads from polling units should be legally binding in real time or subject to conditional discretion in connectivity failure scenarios.
House Committee Chairman Adebayo Balogun defended the existing framework, explaining that physical result sheets (Form EC8A) remain the primary official record, and electronic uploads serve to enhance transparency when feasible.
Broader Stakeholder Reactions
The debate has drawn responses from a wide array of actors:
• Civil society groups and labour unions have warned that weakening provisions for electronic results transmission risks renewing the disputes and litigation that followed elections where glitch-related delays occurred. Advocates such as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have even threatened mass action if unambiguous real-time provisions are excluded.
• Experts like Prof. Hassan Saliu of the Nigeria Political Scientists Association have criticised the dual electronic-manual transmission model, arguing that it may encourage a return to traditional collusion and fraud if not structured carefully.
• Meanwhile, commentators have proposed modern technological solutions, including artificial intelligence to improve reliability and security, underscoring that capacity-building is essential if Nigeria is to adopt high-integrity electoral technology.
Next Steps and National Stakes
With the National Assembly’s harmonisation committee now working to reconcile competing versions of the Electoral Act amendments, legal clarity is seen as vital to safeguarding electoral integrity, voter confidence, and democratic stability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Observers note that the outcome will not only define the future of electoral reforms but also influence Nigeria’s broader democratic trajectory, particularly in responding to past allegations of malpractice and legal challenges stemming from contested results.
