2027 Elections: Senate didn’t reject e-transmission — Coalition

2026-02-06 - 17:58

By Luminous Jannamike ABUJA — A coalition of civil society organisations has dismissed reports claiming that the Nigerian Senate rejected electronic transmission of election results, saying the chamber neither voted against nor outlawed the practice during deliberations on the Electoral Act amendment. In a statement on Friday in Abuja, and signed by Amb. (Dr.) Dauda Adamu, National President of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Democratic Accountability and Electoral Integrity, along with several member organisations, described narratives suggesting a reversal of electoral reforms as false and misleading. “At no point did the Senate reject electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV). The Senate reaffirmed its legality as already provided for in the Electoral Act,” the statement read. The coalition explained that what took place in the Senate was a legislative clarification on the operational framework for implementing electronic transmission, particularly the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in determining the most secure and technologically feasible method of deployment. According to the group, lawmakers agreed that INEC should retain discretion in deploying electronic transmission, taking into account technological realities, security concerns and infrastructure coverage across the country. The coalition also warned that claims suggesting the Senate rejected electronic transmission could mislead the public, inflame tensions and weaken confidence in democratic institutions, adding that the controversy had been followed by what it described as coordinated media attacks and personal vilification of the Senate President. “This pattern reflects political opportunism and bad-faith engagement, not genuine advocacy for electoral reform,” the statement said. The group further cautioned against personalising legislative decisions, stressing that parliamentary resolutions are collective outcomes reached through debate and established procedures. “Personalising collective legislative decisions or demonising the presiding officer is unfair, dangerous and undemocratic,” the coalition warned. Reaffirming its support for electronic transmission of election results, INEC’s institutional independence and credible elections, the coalition urged media organisations to verify legislative proceedings before publication and advised political actors to desist from spreading misinformation. “The Senate acted within the law. The Senate President acted within his mandate. Electronic transmission of results remains intact. Any claim to the contrary is false,” the group added.