Former officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have intensified calls for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, stressing that the move is critical for improving electoral credibility and public trust.
The renewed demand comes as the National Assembly is set to meet on Tuesday to harmonise differing versions of proposed electoral reforms, with the real-time upload of polling-unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal emerging as one of the most contentious issues before lawmakers.
The debate has intensified against the backdrop of historical concerns about manipulation of results during manual collation and the need to strengthen democratic accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
A former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, said the decision facing lawmakers could significantly influence both the credibility of future elections and their political survival.
In a statement released on Sunday, Igini argued that historical loopholes allowing result alterations during manual collation have often worked against sitting lawmakers who lost party backing, undermining both the democratic process and individual political fortunes.
“As the National Assembly convenes to reconcile the divergent versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill… I urge Honourable and Distinguished Senators to heed the salutary lessons from the misfortunes that befell their predecessors,” Igini said, emphasizing the need for reforms that would close longstanding gaps in the electoral process.
He highlighted that in previous election cycles, many candidates denied party tickets had contested on alternative platforms but were defeated despite strong grassroots support, largely because polling unit results could allegedly be altered at the collation stage.
Igini noted that mandatory real-time transmission would make results publicly verifiable, thereby deterring potential tampering and strengthening confidence in the outcome of elections.
“Publicly viewable results serve as deterrence and would render such tampering manifest and actionable,” he stated, reinforcing the argument that transparency at the polling unit level is essential for electoral integrity.
Igini bolstered his position with historical legislative turnover data, asserting that the recurring instability within Nigeria’s legislative houses reflected systemic weaknesses in the electoral process.
He cited records from previous assemblies, showing consistently high attrition rates among lawmakers, which he argued underscored the urgent need for reforms to strengthen accountability.
According to Igini, the Sixth Senate (2007–2011) returned only 23 of 109 members, while 86 newly elected senators accounted for a 79 per cent turnover, highlighting the vulnerability of incumbents in a system susceptible to result manipulation.
The Seventh Senate (2011–2015) recorded 36 re-elected members against 73 newcomers, amounting to a 67 per cent turnover. Meanwhile, the Eighth Senate (2015–2019) returned 39 sitting senators with 70 newcomers, translating to 64 per cent turnover.
“The Ninth Senate (2019–2023) marginally improved with 45 re-elected and 64 newly elected members, yielding a 59 per cent turnover.
The Tenth Senate (2023–2027) has regressed sharply with only 25 returning senators and 84 new entrants, translating into a staggering 77 per cent turnover,” Igini said, painting a picture of persistent instability that he said undermined institutional continuity and legislative effectiveness.
For the House of Representatives, Igini said turnover similarly remained high, ranging from 57 to 78 per cent across electoral cycles. He provided detailed historical data showing the extent of legislative attrition over time.
“A similarly destabilising pattern persists in the House of Representatives. In the Sixth House (2007–2011), merely 80 of 360 members were re-elected, while 280 were newcomers, amounting to 78 per cent turnover,” he said.
“The Seventh House (2011–2015) recorded 100 re-elected members against 260 newly elected, representing 72 per cent turnover. The Eighth House (2015–2019) saw 110 returnees and 250 new legislators, making 69.4 per cent turnover. The Ninth House (2019–2023) marked the lowest attrition in this period, with 151 re-elected and 209 newly elected members, a 57 per cent turnover. However, the present Tenth House (2023–2027) has again deteriorated, returning only 109 members while ushering in 251 new legislators, producing a 70 per cent turnover rate,” Igini explained.
He argued that such chronic instability produced what he termed “institutional amnesia,” weakened oversight functions, and required continuous expenditure on induction and training of new lawmakers, a scenario he described as “institutional self-harm.”
“This chronic instability breeds institutional amnesia, dissipates scarce public resources on perpetual induction and retraining,” Igini said, urging lawmakers to adopt reforms that would stabilise the legislature.
Igini also dismissed arguments that network coverage made real-time electronic uploads unrealistic. Citing a joint survey conducted by INEC and the Nigerian Communications Commission, he said the study reportedly showed over 97 per cent network coverage nationwide before the 2023 elections, indicating that technological limitations were largely overstated.
“The commission has successfully transmitted results in more than 100 off-cycle elections, including several governorship contests, describing claims of technological impossibility as ‘excuses,’” Igini said.
He noted that the BVAS device was engineered for both online and offline functionality, adding, “Network concerns are largely excuses.”
He called on lawmakers to restore clear provisions for direct real-time uploads, warning that failure to do so could undermine democratic accountability. Igini further urged the judiciary to uphold electoral regulations that empower INEC to determine operational procedures under the Constitution.
“Let wisdom prevail over expediency, convenience and party loyalty lest history repeat its tragic verdict upon yet another Assembly. Real-time electronic transmission is not merely desirable; it is essential for the sustenance of our democracy,” he stressed.
Supporting Igini’s position, former Katsina REC Alhaji Jibrin Zarewa said electronic transmission had been initiated by INEC itself and proven workable during pilot exercises.
“Definitely, it will work. If it is made mandatory in the law, INEC is capable of executing it,” he said, citing past experiences where real-time transmission was tested and successfully implemented.
Zarewa recalled that the commission began testing real-time transmission in by-elections as far back as 2017, including federal constituency contests in Sokoto, insisting that technological and network challenges could be addressed with the support of service providers.
“Service providers can be made to provide service where we have weak signals and weak networks. When that is done, there’s nothing wrong again,” he said, underscoring the feasibility of nationwide implementation.
He further emphasised the importance of building trust and confidence in the electoral process, stating, “Election is about building trust and confidence. Even the Nigerian public wants it, and it will build confidence in accepting the credibility of the election.”
Zarewa argued that real-time electronic transmission could strengthen public perception of elections and deter manipulation of results.
Former Zamfara REC Asmau Maikudi also lent support, asserting that e-transmission was both feasible and aligned with global best practices. “E-Transmission is feasible and ideal, in line with global best practices. What we need is just commitment and dedication to anything, and it will be done successfully,” she said.
Maikudi urged the National Assembly to include e-transmission in the electoral amendment, stressing that it would make elections more transparent and accessible to the electorate.
Meanwhile, ex-INEC Federal Commissioner Prof. Lai Olurode cautioned against over-reliance on technology in elections, warning that doing so could inadvertently trigger crises.
“Like any technology, the human heart can fail at any time. In the same way, we see technology,” Olurode said, stressing that a malfunction during results transmission could create public suspense and unrest.
Olurode recommended a hybrid approach combining electronic and manual transmission.
“I think we should not trigger a crisis in Nigeria because the best way to create a crisis is to keep people in suspense. Sometimes, you will send a message to somebody, and he will not see it until the third or the fourth day. So, I don’t think we lose anything by insisting that, of course, e-transmission is the goal, is the way to look at our elections, but don’t be too dependent on technology, especially in your elections,” he said.
He further explained, “So why not a combination of the two? Instead of saying that, if you insist on real-time alone and it fails, the country is going to be in chaos. That’s just the way I look at it. Do a combination for now, and again, as I said, you are not saying that our election should be 100 per cent technology-dependent. Just as we are sceptical about human beings because of their attitude, you can’t be too sure of the attitude of your machine as well.”
The controversy over real-time transmission follows recent amendments by the Senate, which retained electronic transmission but removed the phrase “real-time.”
Civil society organisations and election stakeholders have criticised the change, arguing that removing the real-time clause could weaken transparency and public confidence in the electoral process.
Under the revised Senate clause, presiding officers would upload results electronically, but manual Form EC8A could become the primary source in cases where technological failures prevent real-time transmission. Critics say this could create ambiguity and open avenues for manipulation during collation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio responded to criticisms, stating that lawmakers did not reject electronic transmission outright but sought flexibility to accommodate areas with poor connectivity.
“The Senate has not removed any means of transmission… we only removed the phrase ‘real-time’,” he said, emphasising the intent to balance technological adoption with practical realities in some regions.
Experts argue that the decision on real-time electronic transmission is not merely a technical issue but a crucial determinant of electoral integrity and public trust in democratic institutions.
According to them, enshrining mandatory real-time uploads into law would deter tampering, enhance transparency, and strengthen citizens’ confidence in electoral outcomes.
Several former INEC officials warn that ignoring technological reforms could perpetuate historical weaknesses, including manipulation during manual collation, legislative instability, and high turnover rates in the National Assembly.
They assert that the reforms are necessary to reduce institutional amnesia, safeguard public resources, and improve the overall credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system.
The former commissioners also argue that technological capacity exists within INEC to implement real-time transmission nationwide.
They point to prior successes in off-cycle elections and pilot exercises as evidence that electronic transmission is operationally feasible, particularly if supported by legislative clarity and robust service provider partnerships.
Critics of removing the real-time clause further assert that the amendment may weaken the deterrent effect against result tampering.
They say that allowing manual forms to serve as primary sources in case of technology failures could reintroduce historical vulnerabilities that real-time transmission was designed to eliminate.
With the National Assembly scheduled to harmonise the divergent versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, former INEC officials continue to advocate strongly for mandatory real-time electronic transmission, stressing that failure to do so could jeopardize the credibility of future elections and weaken democratic accountability.