The Senate has clarified that real time transmission of election results does not amount to electronic voting, as debate continues over proposed amendments to Nigeria electoral framework. Lawmakers made the distinction during plenary while addressing public concerns that new provisions in the Electoral Amendment Bill could fundamentally alter the voting process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to senators who spoke during deliberations, real time transmission refers strictly to the electronic upload of results from polling units to a central server, while the actual voting process would remain manual unless expressly amended by law. They emphasized that electronic voting would require a different legal architecture, infrastructure deployment and nationwide digital capacity that goes beyond result transmission.
The clarification follows weeks of intense public discourse after the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC signaled the need for clearer legislative backing on the technology it can deploy during elections. Some civil society groups and political actors had argued that expanding electronic transmission provisions might automatically introduce electronic voting. The Senate dismissed this interpretation, noting that the law separates the two processes.
Lawmakers further explained that real time transmission is primarily designed to enhance transparency, reduce human interference during collation and strengthen public confidence in electoral outcomes. They argued that the controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections underscored the need for improved technological safeguards without necessarily replacing physical balloting.
The Senate Committee on Electoral Matters stated that the harmonisation process with the House of Representatives would address ambiguities and ensure consistency in the final version of the amendment bill. The committee assured Nigerians that public hearings would be conducted before the legislation is passed.
Observers say the debate reflects broader concerns about electoral credibility, digital readiness and political trust. While some stakeholders insist that Nigeria should fully migrate to electronic voting to curb fraud, others caution that inadequate infrastructure, cybersecurity risks and uneven internet penetration could undermine the process.
Security experts have also warned that strengthening transmission systems must go hand in hand with robust data protection frameworks. Nigeria has witnessed rising cyber threats in recent years, raising concerns about the vulnerability of electoral infrastructure.
As harmonisation begins, political parties are expected to intensify lobbying efforts to shape the final provisions. The Senate leadership has reiterated its commitment to passing a law that balances innovation with realism, ensuring that technology enhances rather than complicates the democratic process.
For now, lawmakers insist that real time transmission should be viewed as a transparency tool, not a shift to electronic voting.
