…Demands real-time result transmission
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the aegis of Speak Out Africa Initiative (SOAI), has raised red flag over what it described as “the deliberate attempt by the Nigerian Senate to muddle up with the integrity” of future elections in the country.
This was as SOAI outrightly rejected the amendment of the Electoral Act 2026 by the Senate to accommodate electronic transmission of election results, but with a caveat, stressing that the Senate version of the Bill has clearly created loopholes for manipulation of election results.
The coalition of CSOs pointedly said that the Senate version is a major setback to Nigerians’ demands for transparent, credible and technology-enabled elections.
The CSOs specifically warned that retaining Form EC8A as the primary evidence when electronic systems fail has clearly opened the process to ambiguity, manipulation, disputes, and undermined public trust in the electoral system.
SOAI therefore urged Nigerians to focus attention on the 24-member Conference and Harmonisation Committee of the National Assembly to do the needful by adopting the House of Representatives version of the Bill.
The coalition of CSOs demanded that the live telecast of the deliberations of the Harmonisation Committee to enable citizens follow and hold lawmakers accountable.
SOAI particularly demanded for real-time electronic transmission to IReV, clearer election timelines, electronic PVC downloads and the retention of key electoral timelines proposed by the House of Representatives.
The CSOs appealed to citizens, other Non-Governmental Organisations, youth groups, women, the media and faith-based organisations to sustain the pressure on the lawmakers to protect the integrity of the votes.
SOAI further said; “Our votes must count. The final Electoral Bill must reflect the democratic will of Nigerians and guarantee transparent elections”.
