What Happened?
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently assented to the amended Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly. One of the major provisions allows manual transmission of election results using Form EC8A by Returning Officers in areas with poor or no network coverage.
However, opposition parties argue that this clause weakens electoral transparency.
Opposition’s Position
At a joint press conference in Abuja, opposition parties demanded:
Immediate fresh amendment of the Electoral Act 2026
Mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units directly to INEC’s iREV portal
Removal of what they described as “obnoxious provisions”
The joint address was read by Ajuji Ahmed, National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
He described the Act as:
“Anti-democratic”
A threat to free, fair, and credible elections
An attempt to undermine transparency ahead of 2027
The opposition also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of attempting to subvert the will of the people.
Why Electronic Transmission Matters
Electronic transmission of results became a major reform demand after the 2023 elections. Supporters argue it:
Reduces human interference
Minimizes result manipulation during collation
Improves public trust in the process
Allows real-time public verification
Critics of mandatory e-transmission, however, cite:
Network coverage challenges in rural areas
Technical infrastructure limitations
Risk of system failures
Political Implications for 2027
With Nigeria’s 2027 general elections approaching, this disagreement could:
Trigger fresh legislative battles in the National Assembly
Increase political polarization
Shape campaign narratives around electoral integrity
The debate signals that electoral transparency will be a central issue in 2027 politics.
