‎NBA Urges National Assembly To Mandate Electronic Transmission Of Election Results Amid Electoral Act Controversy

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on the National Assembly to reconsider the Senate’s recent stance on the Electoral Act amendment bill and to incorporate a provision that mandates the electronic transmission of election results. This appeal was made through a statement released on Saturday, following a meeting of the NBA’s National Executive Council (NEC) held on February 5 in Maiduguri, Borno State.

‎The NBA’s position arises amid growing public concern regarding the Senate’s management of the Electoral Act amendment bill. On Wednesday, the Senate voted to maintain the current provision for electronic transmission of election results as outlined in the Electoral Act 2022. However, during the deliberations, lawmakers rejected key proposals, including the implementation of real-time results transmission and a proposed 10-year ban on vote-buyers, choosing instead to uphold existing penalties which include fines and jail terms.

‎Despite claims from some Senators that the bill received majority support, the decision not to adopt real-time results transmission has faced criticism from various advocacy groups. Instead, the Senate opted to retain the phrasing from the 2022 Electoral Act, specifying that results should be transferred “in a manner as prescribed by the commission.”

‎In its report, the NBA highlighted the potential risks of such discretionary language, warning that it undermines the legal framework for transparent and prompt result reporting, thereby creating opportunities for manipulation and disputes after elections. The association emphasized the necessity of a clear statutory requirement for electronic transmission to safeguard the integrity of votes and to restore public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.

‎Moreover, the NBA reiterated that credible elections are fundamental to constitutional democracy, cautioning that any continued reluctance to implement enforceable provisions for electronic transmission could ultimately erode democratic accountability. The association stressed that in today’s democracies, technological transparency is a prerequisite, urging Nigeria to align its electoral processes with international best practices.

‎The NBA concluded its statement by urging members of the National Assembly to exercise legislative responsibility and support the amendment that compels the electronic transmission of election results. “The Council resolved that the National Assembly must urgently revisit clause 60(3) and pass the proposed amendment to expressly mandate electronic transmission of results from polling units,” the statement asserted.