The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has warned that Nigerians’ confidence in the electoral process is under serious threat following the Senate’s decision to reject mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026.
Speaking at an emergency press briefing in Kano on Wednesday, CITAD’s Executive Director, Comrade Y. Z. Ya’u, said the Senate’s action undermines ongoing efforts to improve transparency and accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ya’u recalled that public confidence rose when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) assured Nigerians that election results would be transmitted electronically, describing the move as a safeguard against manipulation during collation.
“Nigerians were particularly pleased when INEC assured the public that election results would be transmitted electronically. That assurance was seen as a pathway to restoring public confidence and preventing manipulation,” he said.
He noted that loopholes in the existing legal framework weakened election petitions after the 2023 polls, stressing that most electoral malpractice occurs during result collation and tabulation rather than at polling units.
According to Ya’u, the harmonised amendment bill—developed after years of public hearings and consultations—clearly mandated electronic transmission of results, imposed penalties on erring INEC officials, and strengthened the commission’s independence.
“These provisions are essential for rebuilding public trust. Rejecting them sends the wrong signal to Nigerians,” he said.
CITAD also expressed concern over declining voter turnout, warning that public apathy could worsen if electoral transparency is not guaranteed.
“By refusing to make electronic transmission mandatory, the Senate has chosen ambiguity over clarity and discretion over certainty. This decision threatens the credibility of the 2027 elections,” Ya’u added.
The group noted that the House of Representatives passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill in December 2025, leaving Senate concurrence as the final legislative step before presidential assent.
Ya’u further criticised the Senate for failing to consider the bill before embarking on an extended recess last year and for not prioritising it after resuming plenary on January 27, 2026.
“With INEC legally required to publish the timetable for the 2027 elections by April, the uncertainty over which Electoral Act will apply is dangerous,” he warned.
CITAD’s statement followed the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Bill 2026, during which lawmakers rejected an amendment to Clause 60 that sought to make real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units compulsory.
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