Voter confidence will be strengthened by real-time electronic transmission and upload of election results would, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, an umbrella body of civil society organisations, has declared.
It noted that citizens would have confidence in the process, safe in the knowledge that “the will of the people is truly reflected in official outcomes”.
The remark came amid controversy over the Senate’s amendment of the Electoral Act 2022, particularly the clause relating to the real-time transmission of election results.
the senate on February 4, passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill following a clause-by-clause consideration.
Among the changes was a reduction in the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish a notice of election from 360 days to 180 days.
At the centre of the controversy was Clause 60(3), which sought to make the electronic transmission of polling unit results to the IReV portal mandatory and in real-time, after the result sheets have been signed.
The Senate initially rejected the proposal and retained Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act 2022, which leaves the mode of result transmission to be determined by INEC.
Civil Society Organisations on February 9, staged a protest at the National Assembly Complex over the rejection of the clause.
However, during Tuesday’s emergency plenary, the Senate approved the electronic transmission of election results to the IReV portal, while allowing manual collation as a fallback in cases where technology fails.
In a statement issued by Agianpe Onyema, Secretariat coordinator of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, the group described the electronic transmission of election results as a possible “turning point for Nigerian democracy”.
Read the statement: “The final version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026 reflects the progressive consensus reached through stakeholder engagement and strengthens, rather than undermines Nigeria’s democratic process.
“Whether lawmakers translate this energy into legislative and policy action remains to be seen. But one message was unmistakable: Nigerians are no longer willing to accept half-measures when it comes to the integrity of their votes”.
Said Onyema as he spoke on why e-transmission matters: “It is a foundational reform that addresses perennial challenges in Nigeria’s elections”.
He said it addresses delays that enable manipulation and misinformation, reduces opaque manual processes that limit public oversight, and strengthens accountability to rebuild trust in electoral outcomes.
Contacted, Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for comments on the controversy and the Commission’s capacity for real-time transmission, he said INEC would not comment until the amendment process was concluded.
Said he: “The amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 is still an ongoing process. Let’s wait for it to be finalised. We can’t comment on this now”.
