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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has slammed arguments against electronic transmission of election results as “a convenient fraud,” urging lawmakers to integrate technology into Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of the 2027 polls to prevent manipulation.
Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, insisted that claims of technological infeasibility are dishonest. “The argument that Nigerians cannot effectively use technology for elections is nothing but a convenient fraud,” he stated.
Rafsanjani who is also Head of Transparency International Nigeria, and Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), said: “Every day, Nigerians across the country rely on electronic networks for bank transfers, accessing government portals, running businesses, and engaging on social media. From urban centres to rural communities, digital transactions take place daily.”
He highlighted recent advancements like 5G networks expanding connectivity nationwide, dismissing opposition as misleading. “With recent innovations such as 5G and other network services expanding connectivity, claiming that electronic transmission of election results is ‘not feasible’ is either dishonest or deliberately misleading,” Rafsanjani said in a statement obtained by The Sun Newspapers.
Rafsanjani framed the debate not as a tech issue, but a power struggle. “This narrative is not about technology. It is about control,” he asserted, referencing his recent interview with The Cabal Newspaper. He accused certain political forces of obstructing Electoral Act amendments to retain power through manipulation. “When lawmakers deliberately weaken or obstruct reforms that would enhance transparency, especially the electronic transmission of results, it is no longer a legislative disagreement. It is electoral corruption at its foundation.”
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He warned that ambiguous laws enable rigging during collation. “Once electoral laws are tailored to serve selfish or personal interests, the entire process becomes compromised. A defective or ambiguous law makes transparency and accountability impossible and denies Nigerians the fundamental right to freely choose their leaders,” he said. “This is why resistance to electronic result transmission is so dangerous. It keeps loopholes open for discretionary handling, manipulation during collation, and ultimately, rigging.”
Rafsanjani raised alarms over the 2027 elections, claiming groundwork for fraud is underway. “The warning is clear. The groundwork for compromising the 2027 elections is already being laid,” he noted. “When innovations meant to improve electoral credibility are deliberately blocked, it sends a strong signal that some actors are determined to create conditions for electoral manipulation. A weak electoral law breeds instability, violence, and crisis. It does not promote peace or good governance.”
He called on civil society to intensify advocacy. “Civil society organizations may not be lawmakers, but their role remains critical. Advocacy, public education, and sustained pressure are essential in exposing anti-democratic manoeuvres and mobilizing Nigerians to demand better governance,” Rafsanjani emphasized, adding, “While advocacy alone may struggle against entrenched political interests, silence guarantees failure.”
Directly challenging legislators, he invoked their duties. “Legislators have both a moral and constitutional duty to act in the national interest, not in the interest of a few individuals determined to control the process at all costs,” he said. “The purpose of law-making is to strengthen democracy, not undermine it. Any law that blocks transparency is not neutral. It is complicit.”
Rafsanjani concluded by rejecting tech deficiency excuses. “Nigeria does not lack technology. What we are witnessing is a deliberate resistance to credible elections.”
