PDP urges N’Assembly committee to adopt real-time transmission of election results

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the National Assembly conference committee to adopt the version of the Electoral Act amendment bill passed by the House of Representatives, which supports real-time electronic transmission of election results.

The call follows the Senate’s earlier passage of the bill last week, during which it rejected the proposal for real-time electronic transmission of results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV). The decision sparked protests and renewed pressure on lawmakers to reverse their stance.

However, on Tuesday, the Senate reversed its position and approved electronic transmission of election results to IReV. The approval came with a condition that manual collation should be used as a backup if the technology fails.

Reacting in a statement, PDP spokesperson Ini Ememobong criticised the Senate’s inclusion of manual collation, describing it as a “backdoor attempt” to weaken full electronic transmission. He argued that manual transmission is already covered under the existing 2022 Electoral Act.

Ememobong said the push for electronic transmission is meant to provide a second layer of verification and prevent the manipulation of results before they reach collation centres — a flaw he said has long undermined Nigeria’s electoral process.

He questioned the justification for manual transmission, noting that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has been effectively used for voter accreditation during elections.

“It is inconceivable that the same BVAS technology which undertakes accreditation throughout an election would suddenly become unreliable for the transmission of results and accreditation data arising from that same exercise,” he said.

The PDP spokesperson also accused some senators of opposing electronic transmission for political reasons, claiming it would reduce the chances of election result manipulation.

He urged members of the conference committee responsible for harmonising the bill to adopt the House of Representatives’ version, stressing that it is necessary for credible elections in 2027.

Ememobong also advised Nigerians to remain firm in demanding real-time electronic transmission of results, adding that Nigeria’s democracy should not be left solely in the hands of politicians.