The Electoral College of Nigeria, a prominent civil society organisation focused on electoral integrity and democratic reforms, has strongly condemned the Senate for its persistent refusal to make automatic electronic transmission of election results mandatory under the Electoral Act.
In a sharply worded statement released on Friday, February 6, 2026, the group’s Executive Director, Kunle Lawal, described the Senate’s position as a “significant setback” for Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and rebuild public trust in the electoral process.
“Automatic result transmission is not a radical innovation,” Lawal stated. “It is a widely accepted safeguard designed to protect the integrity of votes cast by citizens. Its primary value lies in reducing human interference between polling units and final collation centers—the stage most vulnerable in Nigeria’s electoral process.”
The statement comes amid renewed debate over electoral reforms following widespread controversies during the 2023 general elections and subsequent off-cycle polls. Critics, including opposition parties, election observers, and civil society groups, have repeatedly pointed to discrepancies between results recorded at polling units and those announced at collation centers as evidence of systemic weaknesses.
Lawal listed several recurring malpractices that he said underscore the urgency of mandatory electronic transmission: ballot stuffing, result alteration, missing result sheets, intimidation of party agents, and outright manipulation at collation centers. “Manual collation, while not inherently fraudulent, leaves room for manipulation and prolonged post-election disputes,” he warned. “Nigeria has repeatedly witnessed elections where outcomes announced at collation centers differ sharply from figures recorded at polling units. Complaints raised by citizens, party agents, and even electoral officials are often buried under procedural delays.”
He argued that real-time electronic transmission would create a verifiable digital record, making it significantly more difficult—and far easier to detect—any attempts to tamper with results. “Automatic transmission would not eliminate disputes entirely, but it would drastically reduce their scale by making manipulation more difficult and easily traceable,” Lawal explained.
Addressing long-standing objections from some lawmakers and electoral officials—particularly concerns over poor network coverage in rural areas—Lawal dismissed the argument as outdated. He pointed to hybrid systems successfully implemented in other countries, where results are captured offline at polling units using devices like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and later synchronized when connectivity is available. “Countries with far more challenging infrastructure have made electronic transmission work effectively,” he noted. “Nigeria cannot continue to hide behind the same excuses.”
Lawal also rejected calls to keep electronic transmission optional, insisting that it must be a legal obligation rather than left to the discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or its officials. “A credible electoral framework must be clear, predictable, and binding,” he said. “Automatic transmission should not be a guideline; it should be a legal requirement.”
The Electoral College warned that continued resistance to the reform carries serious long-term consequences. “Failing to adopt this measure could deepen voter apathy, fuel post-election disputes, and erode democratic legitimacy,” Lawal cautioned. “Nigerians, especially young people, increasingly question the value of voting when outcomes appear predetermined or easily manipulated. Low turnout is not just a civic issue; it is a crisis of legitimacy.”
The group urged the National Assembly—particularly the Senate, which has historically been the main stumbling block on this issue—to reconsider its stance. “Protecting the integrity of votes is a national imperative,” the statement concluded. “Nigeria deserves an electoral system that reflects the will of its citizens clearly, transparently, and credibly. Rejecting automatic result transmission is to accept flaws that have long eroded trust, peace, and democratic legitimacy.”
The criticism adds to mounting pressure on lawmakers ahead of potential amendments to the Electoral Act. The 2022 Electoral Act Amendment had initially included provisions for mandatory electronic transmission but was watered down during harmonization between the Senate and House of Representatives. The final version made transmission subject to “network availability” and other conditions, effectively rendering it discretionary in practice.
INEC has repeatedly stated that it supports full electronic transmission where feasible and has continued to deploy BVAS in subsequent elections. However, the commission has also cited legal and logistical limitations as barriers to enforcing mandatory transmission nationwide.
Civil society groups and international election observers have consistently called for clearer, stronger provisions in law to eliminate ambiguity and restore confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process. The Electoral College’s latest statement reinforces that demand, framing mandatory electronic transmission not as an optional technological upgrade, but as a fundamental safeguard for democratic integrity.
As Nigeria prepares for future elections—including off-cycle polls and the 2027 general elections—the debate over electronic transmission is likely to intensify, with reform advocates warning that further delay risks deepening public disillusionment with the democratic process.
