Mike Igini, former Resident Electoral Commissioner in Cross River State, has warned that weakening provisions for real-time electronic transmission of election results could cost many federal lawmakers their seats in 2027.
In a statement, Igini described the Senate’s proviso qualifying real-time transmission as a form of “institutional self-harm,” arguing that legislators who fail to close electoral loopholes could later fall victim to the same flaws.
“As the National Assembly convenes to reconcile the divergent versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill… I urge Honourable and Distinguished Senators to heed the salutary lessons from the misfortunes that befell their predecessors,” he said.
Igini said previous assemblies failed to address vulnerabilities in the electoral system, allowing manipulation during collation stages.
“Such lacunae were exploited to subvert polling-unit outcomes… rendering them victims of the very defects they declined to remedy,” he said.
He warned that lawmakers who lose party backing ahead of the 2027 elections could struggle to convert voter support into victory if polling unit results are not securely transmitted.
“The 10th Assembly now stands perilously close to replicating this lamentable pattern,” he added.
Read Also: Ex-INEC officials push lawmakers to make real-time result transmission mandatory
High turnover reflects electoral vulnerabilities
Igini cited turnover data from past National Assemblies to support his argument.
In the Senate, only 23 of 109 members returned after the 2007–2011 cycle, representing 79 per cent turnover. Subsequent assemblies recorded turnover rates of 67 per cent, 64 per cent, and 59 per cent.
He said the current Senate has again recorded sharp turnover, with only 25 returning members and 84 new entrants — a 77 per cent turnover rate.
The House of Representatives shows similar patterns. The Sixth House recorded 78 per cent turnover, while the current House has returned only 109 members and brought in 251 new lawmakers, representing 70 per cent turnover.
Igini said the instability weakens legislative continuity, oversight, and accountability.
“This chronic instability breeds institutional amnesia… weakens legislative oversight, and erodes continuity in law-making,” he said.
Real-time transmission is essential for electoral integrity
Igini insisted that real-time transmission directly from polling units to INEC’s result viewing portal remains critical to credible elections.
“Publicly viewable results serve as deterrence and would render such tampering manifest and actionable,” he said.
He dismissed network limitations as an excuse, citing surveys conducted by INEC and the Nigerian Communications Commission showing over 97 per cent network coverage before the 2023 elections.
He added that INEC successfully transmitted results in more than 100 off-cycle elections before the last general election.
Warning against weakening electoral safeguards
Igini warned that qualifying electronic transmission with exceptions could open the door to manipulation.
He said such provisions could allow collusion among political actors, collation officials, and network providers to disrupt transmission on election day.
He urged lawmakers to restore mandatory real-time transmission and called on the judiciary to uphold electoral safeguards.
“Let wisdom prevail over expediency, convenience and party loyalty lest history repeat its tragic verdict upon yet another Assembly,” he said.
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