Senate Rejects Electronic Transmission of Election Results

The Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, rejected a proposal to mandate real-time electronic transmission of election results, despite public outcry. This decision has raised alarms about the potential for electoral manipulation, particularly through the "network failure" clause, which allows for manual result collation.

The Supreme Court ruled in October 2023 that electronic transmission is not mandatory under the Electoral Act 2022, affirming the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s discretion in determining the method of result transmission. Critics, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and civil society groups, warn that this could undermine democratic integrity.

The Senate, led by President Godswill Akpabio, cited poor internet connectivity in nine states as a reason for the decision, which retains provisions for manual collation. This move has been met with backlash from opposition parties and pro-democracy advocates, who argue it creates loopholes for electoral malpractice.