LunagisthubNigerian Senate Rejects Electronic Transmission of Election Results
The Nigerian Senate has rejected a proposed amendment to the Electoral Amendment Bill that would have made electronic transmission of election results compulsory. The bill sought to require presiding officers to upload results from each polling unit to the IReV portal in real-time, immediately after completing Form EC8A .
The proposed amendment aimed to strengthen transparency and reduce electoral malpractice through technology-driven result management. However, the Senate voted against the amendment, opting to retain the existing provision in the Electoral Act .
According to the current provision, presiding officers are required to transfer results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner prescribed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This means that the method of result transmission is left to the discretion of INEC .
The Senate’s decision has implications for the transparency and efficiency of the electoral process. While the electronic transmission of results was seen as a way to enhance transparency, the Senate’s decision suggests that the current system is deemed sufficient
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