NASS realistic on real-time e-transmission of election results
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has defended the National Assembly’s decision not to make real-time electronic transmission of election results fully compulsory in all circumstances, insisting lawmakers were “pragmatic and realistic” given Nigeria’s uneven network infrastructure.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said NASS realistic on real-time e-transmission of election results should be understood in the context of poor connectivity in many parts of the country, arguing that national policy must match national capacity. 
Morka’s intervention comes amid renewed controversy over the Electoral Act (Amendment) 2026, which President Bola Tinubu signed into law less than 24 hours after passage by both chambers, a speed that has drawn public criticism and intensified suspicion around the most sensitive provision: result transmission. 
What Morka said
In the interview, Morka said lawmakers took account of Nigeria’s “address of communication technology,” stressing that what works smoothly in major cities may fail in rural communities and conflict-affected areas.
He illustrated this with a personal example, saying he had to cycle through multiple networks to get stable connectivity for the live programme, warning that many Nigerians assume Lagos and Abuja represent the whole country. 
That, he argued, is why NASS realistic on real-time e-transmission of election results was the more practical route, rather than writing a perfect clause that fails on election day.
What the amended law debate is really about
Nigeria’s e-transmission argument is not about “technology vibes.” It is about whether election results can be altered between the polling unit and collation points.
The Senate’s version of the bill retained electronic transmission, but also kept manual collation as a backup, a compromise that triggered protest inside and outside the legislature. A Punch report on the Senate debate noted that lawmakers divided on the floor over the manual backup proviso in Clause 60, with a majority voting to retain it. 
Supporters of the backup clause say it prevents chaos when networks fail. Critics say it creates a convenient escape route: “network issues” becomes the excuse, and manual handling becomes the vulnerability.
This is the heart of why NASS realistic on real-time e-transmission of election results is being sold by the APC as realism, while many observers see it as a loophole.
https://ogelenews.ng/nass-realistic-on-real-time-e-transmission
Tinubu’s position: e-transmission supportive, not a replacement
President Tinubu, while signing the amended act, framed electronic transmission as supportive rather than a full replacement for manual processes, citing concerns around glitches and hacking risks. 
That view aligns closely with the APC spokesman’s messaging and is likely to shape how the party defends the law going into 2027.
The pushback: pressure from civil society and labour
The politics around result transmission has been heated for weeks.
Reuters reported that the Senate earlier reversed its stance under pressure from civil society, labour unions and lawyers, after public backlash to an initial rejection of real-time transmission. 
Separately, civil society coalitions have continued to demand a clean, mandatory clause, arguing that ambiguity has repeatedly weakened election dispute resolution and public confidence. 
So when Morka says NASS realistic on real-time e-transmission of election results, the response from critics is: “Realistic is fine, but realistic should not mean reversible transparency.”
Why the “collective will” argument matters
Morka also insisted that the final law reflects the “collective will” of all parties represented in the National Assembly, not only the APC. 
That point is politically useful because it spreads ownership. But it does not end the debate. Nigerians tend to judge electoral reforms by one standard: whether they reduce manipulation. Anything that looks like discretionary space becomes a public trust problem.
What Nigerians should watch next
Whether you agree with the APC’s framing or not, the real test of NASS realistic on real-time e-transmission of election results will be operational:
1. INEC regulations and system design: If INEC tightens procedures, publishes clear rules for when manual backup applies, and enforces audit trails, the loophole fear drops.
2. Transparency on failures: If devices fail, will there be real-time logs and public proof, or only verbal claims?
3. Litigation outcomes: Ambiguous clauses become courtroom arguments. How courts interpret this framework will influence confidence before 2027. 
For now, Morka has delivered the APC’s line: the country’s infrastructure has limits, and the law must reflect that. Opponents insist that the law’s job is to close the space where manipulation happens, not widen it.
Either way, NASS realistic on real-time e-transmission of election results has become one of the defining political phrases of this electoral cycle, because it sits at the exact point where process meets trust.
https://punchng.com/electoral-act-senate-okays-e-transmission-manual-backup-after-heated-debate
