The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has warned that Nigerians’ trust in the electoral process is at risk following the Senate’s decision to reject mandatory real-time transmission of election results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026.
Speaking at an emergency press briefing in Kano on Wednesday, CITAD Executive Director Comrade Y. Z. Ya’u said the Senate’s action undermines efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Nigerians were particularly pleased when INEC assured the public that election results would be transmitted electronically. That assurance was seen as a safeguard against manipulation during collation and a pathway to restoring public confidence,” Ya’u said.
Ya’u stressed that previous gaps in the law contributed to weakened election petitions after the 2023 elections. He noted that malpractice often occurs during the collation and tabulation of results, not at polling units, making electronic transmission crucial to credible elections.
Ya’u explained that the harmonised amendment bill, developed after years of public hearings and consultations, clearly mandated electronic transmission, introduced penalties for erring INEC officials, and enhanced the independence of the commission.
“These provisions are essential for rebuilding public trust. Rejecting them sends the wrong signal to Nigerians,” Ya’u added.
CITAD also expressed concern over declining voter turnout, warning that public apathy would 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,” he added.
The group noted that the House of Representatives had passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill in December 2025, leaving concurrence by the Senate as the final step before presidential assent.
Ya’u criticised the Senate for failing to act on the bill before embarking on an extended recess last year and for not prioritising it upon resumption on January 27, 2026.
“With INEC legally required to publish the timetable for the 2027 elections by April, the continued uncertainty over which Electoral Act will apply is dangerous,” he warned.
CITAD’s condemnation followed the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Bill 2026, during which lawmakers rejected a proposed amendment to clause 60 that sought to make real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units compulsory.
