The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, has faulted the proviso inserted by the National Assembly in the Electoral Act 2026 allowing manual transmission of election results where electronic transmission fails due to network issues.
Itodo stated this on Sunday in Abuja at the Citizens’ Townhall on “Electoral Act 2026: What it means for your vote and the 2027 elections”.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 18, signed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law, following its passage by the National Assembly after months of deliberations and controversies.
Before the signing, the bill generated heated debates, with lawmakers and prominent Nigerians divided over the method for the transmission of election results ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially on transmission of collated results.
Itodo noted that Nigerian politicians missed an opportunity to write their names in gold during the amendment of the Act.
“Some call this the elephant in the room, but I will say that this was a missed opportunity for Nigeria and this was a moment our political leaders had the opportunity of writing their names in gold by giving Nigerians what they demand.
“I think the proviso in this particular provision is the problem because it undermines the whole concept of electronic transmission of results and transparency,” Itodo said.
He urged the lawmakers to recommence the amendment of the Electoral Act 2026 to expunge the proviso that allows manual transmission of results.
He said that the proviso negates the core objective behind the push to amend the Electoral Act 2022, which he said was intended to make the electoral process more transparent by reducing human interference.
“I just wished that the lawmakers eliminated that particular proviso. This is why we made a call to them to commence the process of amending that Act and just delete that particular proviso.
“That way, as a country we will maximise the utility of electronic transmission of results because it limits human interference, it makes the whole process open and transparent. If politicians are not scared I see no reason why this was not considered in its full breadth,” Itodo said.
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