Sagay Advocates for Manual Transmission of Election Results

Prof. Itse Sagay, a former chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), has expressed support for the manual transmission of election results in Nigeria.

In an interview with the Daily Independent, he cautioned against the removal of provisions that allow for manual collation of election results, arguing that Nigeria's technological capacity is not yet reliable enough to ensure foolproof electronic transmission. Sagay emphasized that relying solely on electronic transmission without a fallback option could lead to crises and public distrust in the electoral system.

He described the Senate's decision to retain electronic transmission with a manual backup as a balanced approach that reflects Nigeria's current realities. Sagay acknowledged that past electoral malpractices have heightened public suspicion and urged that reason should prevail in discussions about election processes.

He reiterated that ballot papers remain a foundational piece of evidence for votes cast, even in the presence of electronic transmission, and clarified that provisions for manual collation should remain to address potential technical failures.