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After much dithering, the Senate on Wednesday passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and rejected real time transmission of results, which most Nigerians believe would ensure the transparency and integrity of the electoral process. The Senate had retained the provision contained in the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the transmission of results in a manner determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) instead of compelling presiding officers to upload the results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) in real time.
The Senate also reduced the election notice deadline from 360 days before the end of the current administration’s tenure to 180 days. In the same vein, it reduced the deadline for submission of candidates’ lists by political parties from 120 to 90 days. It rejected 10-year jail term for electoral offenders and increased the fine for vote-buying and possession of other peoples’ voters cards to N5million.
The Senate decision has attracted criticisms from many Nigerians who felt disappointed over the retention of the mode of transmission of election results as contained in Electoral Act 2022. Nigerians had expected real time electronic transmission of election results. It was the failure to electronically transmit the election results in 2023 they believe that marred the conduct and outcome of that election. Many Nigerians contend that allowing INEC to use its discretion in the transmission of the election results will lead to manipulating the electoral outcome.
Some critics are of the view that most election rigging or manipulations occur at the collation centres. It is sad that the Senate has failed to make history by rejecting real time electronic transmission of election results from the polling units. No doubt, the manual transmission of election results will lead to electoral fraud. The decision of the Senate is an invitation to electoral disaster. The House of Representatives did the right thing by allowing the electronic transmission of election results in real time in their review of the Electoral Act. They listened to the views and aspirations of Nigerians. Their version should be retained.
The National Assembly can still redeem itself through the harmonization process by voting for the real time electronic transmission of election results as opposed to what the Senate has done. Real time electronic transmission of election results is a win-win situation for the ruling party and the opposition. It will make the outcome of our election believable and less contentious. It will make the loser to be willing to congratulate the winner. It will eliminate going to court to seek for redress or to recover a stolen mandate. It will also curb the do or die approach to our politics and even the violence and intimidation associated with our polls.
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The harmonization committee should do the right thing and accede to Nigerians’ demand for electronic transmission of results from the polling units until the entire process is concluded. One of the bad sides of our nascent democracy is the lack of transparency in the nation’s electoral system. Our electoral system since 1999 has been tainted with corruption and manipulation of election results. Unfortunately, it gets worse after each election. The situation is so bad that only the courts can in most cases determine the winner of an election. Apart from the 1993 general election conducted by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, which was adjudged the freest and fairest in the country, others after it have not received the same accolade.
It has been said that democracy dies most times in the hands of politicians. But let me add that democracy dies quickly where the electoral system is not transparent, free and fair. What is democracy if the process of an election is questionable and doubtful? Why are politicians afraid of free and transparent election? Let the lawmakers consider the future of this country and do the right thing by allowing the electronic transmission of election results in real time. They should be reminded that 2023 is different from 2027. Nigerians have opened their eyes widely and may not tolerate the shoddy conduct of elections anymore.
Moreover, we are in an age of internet where information and images can be transmitted within seconds. Those saying that Nigeria is not ripe for electronic transmission of election results are not telling themselves the truth. If money can be transferred from urban centres to rural areas, election results can likewise be transmitted electronically. Allowing INEC to decide the mode of transmission of election results will take us back to square one. We may pass through another period of our election being marred by technical glitches. Nigerians don’t pray for a return of that era in our electoral process. Conducting a free and fair election is not a rocket science. It is doable. Other countries, including some African countries have done it. We can also do it. Building a nation is not only about building roads and bridges. It is not only about building schools, health centres and markets. It is also about building our democratic institutions. Can we truly say that our INEC is truly independent? Can our politicians say that our INEC is truly independent? If the answer is yes, it will be good for our democracy. But if the answer is no, we shall resolve to make it truly independent. There is still enough time to do so.
We cannot wait forever to do so. The world is watching us. The international community is also watching us. Nigeria must stand up among other nations and do the right thing by conducting a free and fair election. Good enough, the new INEC chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan has vowed to conduct the best ever election in the history of the country. He said that he would conduct an election where the loser will congratulate the winner. That is exactly what Nigerians expect from him. Nigerians will hold him accountable. His predecessor, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave Nigerians high hopes and delivered a little. We hope that Amupitan’s case will indeed be different.
We pray that it is so. But can it be so when electronic transmission of election results in real time is not mandatory? I have my doubts. I believe that many Nigerians have their doubts too. Let the National Assembly do the right thing by including real time mandatory electronic transmission of election results in the amendment of the Electoral Act that will guide the 2027 general election.
