AFTER much prevarication, the Senate, last Tuesday adopted an amendment mandating the electronic transmission of election results from polling units to INEC’s IReV portal, subject to the availability of telecommunication networks. It also mandated INEC to transmit election results through manual and physical delivery (Form EC8A) where there is no network.
THE Senate replaced Section 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill. Under the amendment, presiding officers are required to transmit results electronically after signing and stamping the result forms, which must also be countersigned by polling agents, where present.
THIS development followed public outcry that greeted reports that the upper legislative chamber rejected real-time transmission of results during the passage of the proposed Electoral Bill 2026.
THE hybrid system is designed to balance modern transparency with technological limitations. However, the implications of this hybrid approach are a mix of improved trust, increased security, and persistent risks of human manipulation.
THE combination of both methods is meant to provide a fail-safe, but it creates a “legal trap” where manual and vulnerable records can override secure electronic ones, often becoming a point of contention in election results.
INSTANTANEOUS upload allows citizens to track results, significantly reducing the ability of actors to alter figures between the polling unit and the collation center, it prevents the physical interception or destruction of results during transport and the collation process is generally faster and more efficient but it is not 100% failsafe, as it depends on network connectivity, making it susceptible to technical glitches or intentional network disruptions.
THE Manual Transmission (Physical Delivery) on the other hand involves the physical movement of the signed paper result (Form EC8A) from the polling unit to various collation levels (Ward, LGA, State, and National). The physical form remains the authoritative record if the electronic transmission fails due to poor network. This is highly susceptible to tampering, mutilation, or substitution during transit. Under this traditional method, Election officials are often targeted for violence, coercing them to sign falsified results during manual transit. It causes significant delays in announcing winners.
THE current legal framework in Nigeria encourages a hybrid system where technology leads, but physical paper secures the process. By allowing manual collation to serve as a backup, the system leaves room for manipulation, which can trigger disputes if the manual result differs from the expected electronic record.
WHILE INEC has the discretion to determine the method, this can be misused. It allows for the use of manual results even when electronic transmission was feasible, potentially reversing the gains of electronic transparency. The hybrid model, while intended to be robust, still subjects officials to risks in areas where electronic transmission is not used.
THE distinction between “transfer” (manual) and “transmission” (electronic) in the 2026 amendments aims to reduce court confusion, stakeholders advocate for mandatory rather than discretionary electronic usage.
WE call on the National Assembly to stop sitting on the fence and come out with framework for the conduct of future elections that would enhance democratic development, accountability and public confidence in governance, particularly issues relating to the handling and movement of results from polling units.
CLARITY in electoral procedures is fundamental to national stability. Any ambiguity in the management of election outcomes risks eroding public trust and heightening tension within the polity.
WE are of the view that adoption of technology-driven mechanisms for the prompt relay of polling unit outcomes to designated collation platforms will significantly reduce suspicion, enhance transparency, and limit post-election disputes.
