NASS Missed Chance to Deepen Electoral Transparency — YIAGA Africa

The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, has criticised the National Assembly for retaining provisions that allow manual transmission of election results in the newly amended Electoral Act 2026, describing the decision as a setback for electoral transparency.

Itodo made the remarks on Sunday during a Citizens’ Townhall on the Electoral Act 2026 held in Abuja, where stakeholders reviewed key amendments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, lawmakers missed a historic opportunity to strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process by failing to make electronic transmission of results mandatory without exceptions.

He faulted the inclusion of a clause permitting manual transmission where electronic systems fail due to network challenges, noting that such provisions could undermine the objective behind electoral reforms.

“This was a missed opportunity for Nigeria. Our political leaders had the chance to write their names in gold by delivering what Nigerians demanded — a transparent and technology-driven electoral process,” he said.

The civic advocate stressed that removing the proviso would have maximised the benefits of electronic transmission by limiting human interference and improving openness in the collation of election results.

He added that digital processes reduce manipulation and enhance credibility, urging lawmakers to immediately initiate another amendment to delete the controversial clause.

“I wished the lawmakers had eliminated that proviso entirely. Doing so would maximise the utility of electronic transmission because it limits human interference and makes the process more transparent,” Itodo stated.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law on February 18 following its passage by the National Assembly after months of debate over result transmission methods ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The bill had generated widespread public discourse, with lawmakers and stakeholders divided over whether election results should be transmitted strictly electronically or allow manual alternatives in cases of technical failure.

However, Itodo maintained that retaining manual transmission options weakens the integrity of the reform and could erode citizens’ trust in the electoral system if not reviewed.

He therefore called for further legislative action to strengthen the law and fully align it with the demand for credible, transparent elections in Nigeria.