Senate Approves Electronic Transmission of Election Results 0

Senate approves electronic transmission

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The Nigerian Senate has approved the electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal, IReV, while allowing manual collation to serve as a backup where technology fails.

The approval followed a reconsideration of a disputed clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill during an emergency plenary session held on Tuesday in Abuja.

With the decision, the Senate has formally endorsed electronic transmission as part of Nigeria’s electoral process but stopped short of making it compulsory. Lawmakers also rejected proposals that would have mandated real-time upload of results from polling units.

The development marks a major legislative shift, as the Senate approves electronic transmission of election results after months of intense political debate, public pressure and disagreements between lawmakers, civil society groups and political parties.

Under the revised provision, presiding officers at polling units are required to electronically transmit election results to the IReV portal after voting and documentation have been completed. However, where technological challenges arise, manual collation of results will be permitted as a fallback mechanism.

Senate leaders said the decision was aimed at balancing transparency with practicality, acknowledging the country’s uneven technological infrastructure while taking steps to strengthen electoral credibility.

The clause had previously generated controversy, with critics arguing that ambiguity in earlier drafts could undermine public trust in elections. The reconsideration during Tuesday’s emergency plenary followed renewed concerns that outright rejection of electronic transmission would erode confidence in the electoral system.

By choosing a middle ground, the Senate approves electronic transmission of election results while maintaining manual processes as a safeguard against network failures, equipment malfunction or logistical challenges, especially in remote areas.

Lawmakers in support of the decision said it reflects the realities on ground and avoids the risk of disenfranchisement that could arise if polling units are unable to transmit results electronically due to poor connectivity.

“This decision recognises the importance of technology in elections, but it also recognises the limitations we still face,” one senator said during the debate.

Despite approving electronic transmission, the Senate firmly rejected provisions that would have made real-time upload of results mandatory. Lawmakers argued that compelling real-time transmission could create operational bottlenecks and expose the process to unnecessary litigation in situations where technical delays occur.

As a result, while the Senate approves electronic transmission of election results, presiding officers are not legally bound to transmit results instantly once voting ends. Instead, transmission is to occur after all necessary documentation and procedures at the polling unit have been concluded.

The decision also preserves the role of collation officers at various levels of the electoral process, ensuring that manually collated results remain valid where electronic transmission is not feasible.

Political analysts say the outcome reflects ongoing tension between reform advocates who favour full digitisation of elections and lawmakers who prefer a cautious, incremental approach.

For election reform campaigners, the fact that the Senate approves electronic transmission of election results is seen as progress, even though it falls short of their demand for compulsory and real-time uploads.

Opposition figures and civil society groups have long argued that electronic transmission reduces the risk of result manipulation during collation and transportation. They say electronic upload directly from polling units enhances transparency and limits human interference.

On the other hand, lawmakers opposed to mandatory electronic transmission have consistently raised concerns about infrastructure gaps, cybersecurity risks and the possibility of excluding rural voters due to technological constraints.

The Senate’s decision appears to reflect these competing concerns, adopting electronic transmission while retaining manual systems as a backup.

During the plenary, senators emphasised that the role of the electoral commission remains central to determining how electronic transmission is implemented in practice. They noted that the law provides the framework, but operational details will depend on INEC’s guidelines and capacity.

The approval comes amid heightened public interest in electoral reforms, particularly following recent protests and political tensions surrounding the amendment of the Electoral Act.

Observers say the move could have significant implications for future elections, especially as political parties and voters prepare for upcoming polls.

By approving electronic transmission but rejecting compulsory real-time upload, the Senate has signalled a cautious reform path rather than a radical overhaul.

As the Senate approves electronic transmission of election results, attention is now expected to shift to the implementation phase and how INEC will deploy technology to ensure both transparency and reliability.

The bill, once harmonised and passed into law, will provide the legal basis for the use of electronic transmission alongside manual collation, shaping the conduct of elections in the years ahead.

For now, the decision represents a compromise — one that reflects Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to modernise its electoral system while managing infrastructural and institutional limitations.