Former Vice President and presidential aspirant Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Nigerian Senate for rejecting a proposed amendment to mandate real-time electronic transmission of election results as part of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill being considered ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku made the remarks in a statement signed by his media office.
The Electoral Act Amendment Bill seeks to update Nigeria’s existing electoral law to address issues including result transmission, accreditation, and other aspects of elections to strengthen credibility and transparency.
One proposed provision in the bill would have required presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal in real time after result forms are signed and stamped.
During clause-by-clause consideration of the bill, the Senate rejected the proposed amendment that would have made real-time electronic transmission of results mandatory, instead retaining the existing provision of the Electoral Act that allows results to be transferred in a manner prescribed by INEC.
Atiku said the Senate’s decision represents a setback for electoral reform and undermines efforts to enhance electoral transparency. In his statement, he described the rejection of the real-time transmission provision as an assault on electoral transparency and public confidence.
He argued that real-time electronic transmission of results is a democratic safeguard that reduces human interference, limits result manipulation and ensures that votes cast at polling units are faithfully reflected in final outcomes.
Atiku said the retention of more opaque result-transmission practices raises questions about commitments to free, fair and credible elections.
Atiku’s statement said: “This ill-advised action represents a grave setback for electoral reform and a calculated blow against transparency, credibility, and public trust in Nigeria’s democratic process.”
He added that rejecting mandatory real-time transmission is “an unwillingness to submit elections to public scrutiny.”
Atiku’s comments signal ongoing public debate over the legal framework governing the conduct of elections in Nigeria.
Advocates for electoral reform have emphasised that clearer legal backing for electronic result transmission is central to strengthening public confidence in electoral outcomes and minimizing opportunities for result manipulation.
