Civil Society Demands Mandatory Electronic Vote Transmission

Civil society organizations in Nigeria are intensifying pressure on the Senate regarding the 'conditional' electronic transmission clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025. Protests were held at the National Assembly in Abuja, where a coalition accused the Senate of weakening critical safeguards.

Andrew Mamedu, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, demanded a clear mandatory provision for real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units without exceptions. The coalition argued that the Senate's version deviates from earlier agreements reached during consultations.

They warned that inserting discretionary clauses could create legal ambiguities that might be exploited during elections. The coalition also emphasized the importance of a 360-day election notice timeline for voter education.

Akin Rotimi, a spokesperson for the House of Representatives, assured that the leadership supports amendments to enhance electoral integrity, including provisions for women's representation. The coalition vowed to continue advocating for reforms until the final bill guarantees compulsory real-time electronic transmission of results.