E-Transmission Row: Senate Action Sparks Outrage, Nigerians Right To Be Angry — Ezekwesili

Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has said Nigerians are justified in expressing anger toward the Senate over its refusal to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory in the ongoing Electoral Act amendment process.

Ezekwesili spoke on Friday during an interview on ARISE Television’s Morning Show, faulting the upper chamber for retaining what she described as a controversial provision from the 2022 Electoral Act that gives the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, discretion over result transmission.

Her reaction follows the Senate’s rejection of a proposed amendment to Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Amendment Bill, which sought to compel real-time electronic transmission of election results.

According to Ezekwesili, the decision undermines public trust and weakens efforts aimed at strengthening electoral transparency.

“The fundamental issue with the review of the Electoral Act is that the Senate retained Section 60(5) of the INEC 2022 Act,” she said. “That section became infamous because of the loophole it created, which eroded citizens’ trust in the electoral process.”

She noted that because the law stopped short of mandating real-time electronic transmission, INEC was left with broad discretionary powers, limiting accountability.

“Citizens welcomed the amendment process as an opportunity to remove ambiguity and reduce discretionary openings that could compromise credibility,” she stated. “Instead, the Senate adopted what appears to be a ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ posture.”

Ezekwesili maintained that the public backlash trailing the Senate’s stance reflects widespread concern over the integrity of future elections, urging lawmakers to prioritise transparency and citizens’ confidence in the democratic process.