Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja — Senator Seriake Dickson, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, has publicly clarified that the contentious removal of the specific phrasing “real time” from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill does not eliminate or weaken the legal provision for electronic transmission of election results, affirming the Senate’s commitment to preserving modernised electoral processes.
The remarks follow intense national debate and public concern after lawmakers debated and revised Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, which governs how polling unit results are transmitted and collated in the run-up to the 2027 general elections. Opponents of the initial Senate change had raised alarm that omitting “real time” could dilute reforms designed to improve transparency and reduce manipulation in Nigeria’s electoral system.
In a media interview, Dickson insisted that the Senate’s action does not represent a rollback of electronic transmission provisions. He said the amended bill still mandates that results be transmitted electronically from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV), describing the earlier controversy as rooted in misinterpretation of legislative language. “Electronic transmission remains mandatory,” he stated, stressing that the phrasing real time was not essential to preserving the enforceability of digital transmission itself.
The adjustment to the bill occurred during an emergency plenary session after earlier Senate proceedings rejected a proposal that would have explicitly required real-time uploads of polling unit results immediately after results were signed and stamped by presiding officers and party agents. Critics, including civil society organisations and opposition figures, had warned that the omission of the real-time clause could weaken mechanisms for immediate public visibility of results and open avenues for post-poll manipulation.
Under the revised clause adopted by the Senate, presiding officers are still required to electronically send election results to the IReV portal following completion of Form EC8A — the official result document — but the legislation now includes a proviso stating that where electronic transmission fails due to network or communication challenges, the signed and stamped paper form will act as the primary source for collating and declaring results. This compromise reflects lawmakers’ effort to balance technological ambition with on-the-ground realities, particularly in areas with limited internet connectivity.
Dickson acknowledged that the term real time may have been overemphasised in public discussions and argued that credible elections hinge on stronger institutional frameworks rather than specific wording alone. He highlighted that the primary evidence of election outcomes remains the official result forms and that INEC’s use of electronic systems enhances accessibility and public verification but should be backed by robust enforcement and accountability measures.
Legal and political analysts tracking the debate note that the controversy has highlighted a broader legislative divide over how best to integrate technology into Nigeria’s electoral process. Some lawmakers have expressed concern that insisting on real-time uploads could inadvertently disenfranchise voters in remote areas where network coverage is unreliable, creating legal challenges or delays in result collation. Others maintain that without real-time requirements, opportunities for manipulation and result tampering remain.
The Senate’s decision has triggered nationwide reactions. Civil society and pro-democracy groups have called for clear statutory language compelling immediate digital transmission, arguing that it is critical for transparency and public trust. In contrast, supporters of the Senate’s revised approach contend that flexibility and technical safeguards are necessary to accommodate Nigeria’s diverse infrastructure landscape.
Alongside the transmission debate, the Senate’s amendment of the Electoral Act has included other notable changes, such as adjustments to penalties for electoral offences, updates to election timelines and the formal adoption of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in place of older technologies. The combined reforms are aimed at modernising Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of the next general elections, though the precise impact of each measure will depend on implementation and legal harmonisation between the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Senator Dickson reiterated that the amendment’s intent is to refine and improve the legal structure governing elections rather than to weaken or reverse progress made in previous reforms. He argued that focusing on institutional integrity, enforcement of existing laws, and strengthening electoral bodies will deliver more substantive gains in electoral credibility than anchoring reforms solely on the inclusion or exclusion of particular phrases.
As the National Assembly prepares for further committee work to harmonise differences between its version of the bill and that passed by the House, public scrutiny is likely to remain intense. Stakeholders across the political spectrum emphasise that the final language of the Electoral Act will play a significant role in shaping public confidence in the 2027 elections, especially given Nigeria’s recent history of contested electoral outcomes and legal challenges.
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