Former officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have urged the National Assembly to make real-time electronic transmission of election results compulsory, warning that anything less could weaken electoral credibility.
Their call comes as lawmakers prepare to harmonise differing versions of the Electoral Act amendment, with real-time upload of polling-unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) emerging as a key point of contention.
Mike Igini, former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said the decision would affect not only election transparency but also lawmakers’ political survival ahead of 2027.
He argued that manual collation creates opportunities to alter results, often disadvantaging candidates who lack party backing despite strong grassroots support.
“Publicly viewable results serve as deterrence and would render such tampering manifest and actionable,” Igini said.
He cited high turnover in the National Assembly as evidence of weaknesses in the electoral process. According to him, only 25 of 109 senators returned in the current Tenth Senate, representing a 77 per cent turnover rate. The House of Representatives showed similar patterns, with turnover ranging between 57 per cent and 78 per cent across recent assemblies.
Igini said such instability weakens institutional continuity and drains public resources.
“This chronic instability breeds institutional amnesia and dissipates scarce public resources on perpetual induction and retraining,” he said.
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Former commissioners say INEC already has the capacity
Jibrin Zarewa, former REC in Katsina, said INEC began testing electronic transmission in by-elections as far back as 2017 and has demonstrated its ability to implement the system.
“If it is made mandatory in the law, INEC is capable of executing it,” he said.
Asmau Maikudi, former REC in Zamfara, described electronic transmission as feasible and aligned with global best practices, urging lawmakers to include it explicitly in the amended law.
Igini also dismissed concerns about network limitations, citing surveys conducted before the 2023 elections showing over 97 per cent network coverage nationwide. He added that INEC had successfully transmitted results in numerous off-cycle elections.
However, not all former officials support relying solely on real-time transmission. Lai Olurode, former INEC federal commissioner, warned that complete dependence on technology could create problems if systems fail.
He recommended combining electronic and manual collation methods to reduce risks.
“Don’t completely remove the element of human agency. You cannot be too sure of machines either,” he said.
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