Ex-INEC Chiefs Push Real-Time Results Transmission
Former officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have urged the National Assembly to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory, warning that anything less could undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The call was made as a joint National Assembly panel met to harmonise differing Senate and House of Representatives versions of proposed amendments to the Electoral Act.
Leading the push, former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mike Igini said manual collation remains the weakest link in Nigeria’s electoral process, allowing manipulation of polling-unit results during movement to collation centres. He argued that real-time upload of results directly from polling units to INEC’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal would make outcomes instantly verifiable by parties, observers and citizens, thereby deterring fraud.
Igini also warned lawmakers that flawed result-management systems historically harm incumbents themselves, noting that Nigeria’s high turnover of elected officials is partly linked to disputed and non-transparent elections.
The controversy centres on differences between the two chambers of the National Assembly. While the House of Representatives approved mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results, the Senate endorsed electronic transmission but stopped short of requiring it in real time, allowing manual collation where technology fails. The harmonisation panel is expected to produce a single version for passage and presidential assent.
Civil-society organisations, youth groups and professional bodies have joined former INEC officials in pressing lawmakers to adopt real-time transmission nationwide. They argue that permitting delayed or manual uploads leaves room for manipulation and could be exploited through claims of network failure. Engineering and ICT stakeholders have also maintained that Nigeria has sufficient telecommunications coverage to support real-time transmission across most polling units.
The Senate had earlier resisted mandatory real-time transmission, citing gaps in rural connectivity, infrastructure limitations and cybersecurity concerns. However, sustained public pressure has forced a reconsideration during the ongoing legislative reconciliation process.
Igini dismissed claims that real-time transmission is impractical, pointing to telecom coverage surveys conducted before the 2023 elections and the successful electronic transmission recorded in several off-cycle governorship polls. According to him, the real challenge is not technology but political will.
Electoral analysts note that most disputes in Nigerian elections arise not at the voting stage but during collation, where results are aggregated and announced. As court-determined outcomes continue to shape political control across states and legislatures, real-time electronic transmission is increasingly viewed as the most consequential electoral reform ahead of 2027.
The final decision of the National Assembly panel is expected to determine whether Nigeria adopts full real-time digital transparency in result management or retains a hybrid system combining electronic and manual collation. Observers say the outcome will significantly shape public confidence in the next general elections.
