Senate Explains Why Real-Time E-Transmission Cannot Be Mandatory in 2027 Elections

The Nigerian Senate has defended its decision to make electronic transmission of election results discretionary rather than mandatory in the ongoing amendment to the Electoral Bill 2026, insisting the move is grounded in data, infrastructure realities and legislative responsibility — not political sentiment.

The controversy centres on Clause 60(3) of the proposed amendment, which originally stated that a presiding officer “shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real time.”

After debate, lawmakers retained electronic transmission but removed the mandatory “real time” requirement, introducing a caveat that where internet connectivity fails, Form EC8A — the official manual result sheet — will serve as the primary basis for collation.

Senate: Decision Based on Empirical Data

Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, clarified the chamber’s position in a statement issued through his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, stressing that lawmaking “comes with huge obligations globally” and cannot be driven by emotion.

According to Bamidele, the Senate consulted stakeholders in the telecommunications and energy sectors before revising the clause. He said the decision reflects the “stark realities” of Nigeria’s communications and power infrastructure.

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Key Data Cited by the Senate

• Nigeria recorded about 70% broadband coverage in 2025, but actual internet penetration stood at roughly 44.53% of the population, according to figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission.
• The Speedtest Global Index ranked Nigeria 85th out of 105 countries in mobile network reliability and 129th out of 150 countries in fixed broadband reliability.
• In the power sector, approximately 85 million Nigerians lack access to grid electricity, representing about 43% of the population.
• Although generation capacity fluctuates between 12,000 and 13,500 megawatts, only around 4,500 megawatts are typically delivered nationwide.

Bamidele argued that making real-time electronic transmission mandatory under such conditions could create operational bottlenecks, trigger disputes and potentially destabilise the electoral process, particularly in rural communities with weak connectivity.

“By global standards, real-time electronic transmission of election results may not be practicable at this stage of our development,” he said.

What the Amendment Means

The revised clause does not abolish electronic transmission of results. Instead, it provides flexibility in implementation.

The Senate maintains that Section 62(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 already establishes a National Electronic Register of Election Results, and the amendment aims to reinforce the framework without creating a rigid mandate that may prove impractical nationwide.

Under the current system operated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC):

• Results are entered into Form EC8A at the polling unit.
• The presiding officer uses the BVAS device to upload a scanned copy to the IReV portal.
• The portal allows public viewing of polling unit results for transparency.

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The Senate’s revision would allow uploads to remain in place, but without invalidating results in areas where connectivity prevents immediate transmission.

Opposition and Public Backlash

The decision has sparked significant debate across Nigeria’s political landscape.

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi have criticised the move, arguing that weakening mandatory real-time uploads could undermine electoral transparency and public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Civil society groups and election observers warn that introducing a “network failure” clause may create loopholes that could be exploited during collation, particularly at ward and local government levels.

However, supporters of the Senate’s position argue that insisting on a strict real-time requirement without adequate infrastructure could lead to widespread technical failures, contested results and post-election instability.

House–Senate Differences and Next Steps

The House of Representatives is understood to favour retaining the mandatory real-time transmission language, setting the stage for a conference committee to harmonise both versions of the bill.

The final wording of Clause 60(3) will likely shape Nigeria’s electoral governance framework heading into 2027 and determine whether real-time electronic transmission becomes a statutory obligation or remains subject to operational discretion.

As debates intensify, the issue has become a defining test of Nigeria’s commitment to electoral reform — balancing technological ambition with infrastructural reality.

Senate Explains Why Real-Time E-Transmission Cannot Be Mandatory in 2027 Elections

Afenifere Calls for Immediate Take-Off of State Police as Terror Threats Rise in Yorubaland

The pan‑Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere has warned that escalating terrorist attacks in states bordering the South-West are heightening fears of a full-scale incursion into Yorubaland, calling on governors to urgently implement robust security measures and push for the take-off of state police.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere expressed deep concern over repeated attacks in Kwara, Kogi, and Niger states, as well as kidnappings in Ondo, Ekiti, and Oyo states. The group cited the recent Woro and Nuku attacks in Kwara State, where nearly 200 people were reportedly killed and several others abducted, as a warning of the growing threat.

“This is a very disturbing development as cases of abduction seem to be on the increase in Yorubaland. Terror acts are no longer confined to rural areas; even cities like Ibadan have witnessed incidents,” the statement read. Afenifere highlighted the broad-daylight abduction of a schoolgirl in Ibadan’s Challenge area as a chilling example of the insecurity affecting urban centres.

Ajayi urged governors of the six South-West states — Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, and Lagos — as well as neighbouring states including Kwara, Kogi, Edo, and Delta, to implement practical security arrangements that will allow residents to “sleep with their two eyes closed.”

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The group recalled that during a November 24, 2025, meeting in Ibadan, the South-West governors had agreed to strengthen regional security through measures such as the South-West Security Fund and the creation of monitoring centres to track potential terrorist activity. Afenifere noted that recent steps, such as Ogun State’s inauguration of CCTV monitoring centres, are commendable but insufficient.

Ajayi stressed that the persistence of banditry and terrorism is not due to a lack of intelligence, but rather the failure to effectively utilize available information. He insisted that state police should take off immediately, while communities must be empowered to develop local security arrangements, including support for the Amotekun Corps and other regional security initiatives.

“It is high time governors in Yorubaland went beyond sermonisation and swung into decisive actions that will make the region truly secure,” Ajayi said.

Afenifere’s warning comes amid growing concerns over security across southern Nigeria, where the spread of banditry, kidnappings, and terrorist attacks is increasingly threatening both rural and urban communities. The group’s call reinforces longstanding advocacy for state-level policing as a critical measure to combat rising insecurity.

Afenifere Calls for Immediate Take-Off of State Police as Terror Threats Rise in Yorubaland

UN Chief Calls Africa’s Security Council Exclusion Unfair, Outdated

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has described Africa’s continued exclusion from permanent membership of the UN Security Council as “indefensible”, calling for urgent reforms to reflect today’s global realities.

Guterres made the remarks while addressing world leaders, stressing that Africa—home to more than 1.4 billion people and a major focus of the Council’s peace and security agenda—remains without a single permanent seat in the UN’s most powerful decision-making body.

According to him, the current structure of the Security Council no longer reflects geopolitical realities of the 21st century and undermines the credibility and legitimacy of the United Nations.

“Africa is dramatically under-represented. This is not only unfair, it is indefensible,” Guterres said.

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He noted that while Africa accounts for a significant proportion of issues discussed by the Council—including peacekeeping operations, sanctions, and conflict resolution—it remains excluded from permanent decision-making power, including the veto.

The UN chief reiterated his support for long-standing African demands for at least two permanent seats and additional non-permanent seats on the Council, in line with the African Union’s Common African Position on UN reform.

Guterres also warned that failure to reform the Security Council risks eroding trust in multilateral institutions at a time when global cooperation is most needed to address conflicts, climate change, terrorism, and humanitarian crises.

Calls for reform of the Security Council have intensified in recent years, with African leaders, alongside countries from Latin America and Asia, arguing that the current structure—largely unchanged since 1945—reflects post-World War II power dynamics rather than present-day global realities.

Despite widespread agreement on the need for reform, progress has been slow due to disagreements among UN member states, particularly the five permanent members who hold veto power.

UN Chief Calls Africa’s Security Council Exclusion Unfair, Outdated