The Electoral College of Nigeria has issued a sharp rebuke of the Nigerian Senate following its controversial decision to reject mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results in the 2026 Electoral Act Amendment Bill. In a formal statement released today, the body joined a growing chorus of civil society organizations and political parties, including the PDP and ADC, that view the legislative move as a “deliberate regression” that threatens the integrity of the 2027 general elections.
The Senate’s decision to retain the 2022 provision, which gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) discretion over result transmission, is seen by the Electoral College as a betrayal of public demand for transparency. The group argued that the “technical glitches” and disputes of 2023 were direct results of this same ambiguity. By making electronic uploads optional rather than mandatory, the Electoral College warns that the National Assembly is essentially “shielding the collation process from public scrutiny” and normalizing potential manipulation.
The backlash has been echoed across major news platforms, with legal experts on Arise TV describing the move as “inimical to democratic consolidation.” Critics point out that while the Senate approved other reforms, such as stiffer penalties for voter fraud and the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), these are rendered less effective without a secure, real-time digital paper trail. The ADC went as far as alleging that the ruling APC is “preparing the ground for electoral manipulation” by stripping away these safeguards.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio defended the chamber’s position, insisting that the law already provides for electronic transmission and that the Senate merely opted to maintain the status quo. However, the Electoral College and bodies like the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room contend that “maintaining the status quo” is equivalent to ignoring the failures of the past. They are now calling on the Conference Committee, which must harmonize the House and Senate versions of the bill, to restore the mandatory upload clause before the final version is sent to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
This legislative battle represents a critical moment for Nigeria’s democratic future. The outcome of the harmonization process will determine whether the 2027 polls are governed by a framework that builds trust through technology or one that relies on the same discretionary powers that fueled previous post-election acrimony.
