The Nigerian Senate’s rejection of a proposed amendment to make electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) compulsory has triggered sharp and mixed reactions from political parties and electoral reform advocates.
The decision was taken during plenary consideration of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2025. The disputed Clause 60(5) sought to mandate presiding officers to electronically transmit results in real time after completing and signing Form EC8A. Senators voted instead to retain the existing 2022 Electoral Act provisions, which do not expressly require electronic transmission.
Supporters of the Senate’s decision argued that compulsory electronic upload could create legal and logistical risks in areas with poor network coverage. They said leaving the method of transmission to the electoral commission preserves flexibility and prevents technical failures from disrupting the process.
Opposition voices, however, described the move as a setback for transparency.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the decision as shameful and unfortunate, saying it reflects a lack of commitment to electoral integrity. The party argued that electronic transmission is widely seen by voters as a key safeguard against result manipulation.
Reacting, National Publicity Secretary of the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP faction, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said lawmakers ignored public demand for credible elections.
“Rejecting electronic transmission of results is most shameful and unfortunate,” he said, adding that most Nigerians desire electoral sanctity guaranteed by real-time uploads from polling units. He warned that failure to adopt the measure could worsen voter apathy and urged the National Assembly to reconsider its position.
Civil society groups and election observers also expressed concern, saying mandatory electronic transmission would have strengthened public trust and reduced disputes during collation. Others, however, backed the Senate’s caution, citing infrastructure gaps and uneven connectivity.
Lawmakers also rejected a separate proposal to allow electronically generated voter identification for accreditation, choosing to retain the Permanent Voter’s Card requirement while upholding the use of BVAS for verification.
The outcome underscores a widening divide between advocates of stricter tech-driven safeguards and those favouring operational flexibility in Nigeria’s electoral process.
