The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Zero Corruption Coalition, and other civil society organisations have condemned the Senate’s rejection of a proposal to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
The coalition expressed concern over the decision by the 10th National Assembly to reject the amendment to Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which sought to legally entrench electronic transmission of results in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Speaking for the coalition, Executive Director of CISLAC and Chairman of TMG, Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), described the move as a setback for democratic development and a direct affront to Nigerians’ demand for a transparent and credible electoral framework. He said the decision has generated widespread disappointment at home and abroad, raising doubts about the Senate’s commitment to electoral reform.
Rafsanjani noted that Nigeria’s political environment is already strained, with parties — particularly opposition parties — increasingly entangled in court disputes, leadership crises, and judicial interventions. According to him, these trends weaken internal party democracy, erode pluralism, and undermine meaningful political competition. He warned that the weaponisation of the courts poses risks to democratic stability.
Against this backdrop, the coalition argued that rejecting mandatory electronic transmission signals a broader pattern that frustrates electoral transparency and weakens democratic institutions. It warned that such actions could make free, fair, and credible elections increasingly difficult.
The coalition said the proposed amendment responded to credibility challenges observed during the 2023 general elections, where the absence of a clear legal requirement for electronic transmission limited transparency. Supreme Court judgments in post-election cases, it noted, highlighted this legal gap, while public consultations across the country showed strong support for embedding technology in electoral processes.
Beyond this issue, Rafsanjani — also CAPPA Board Chairman — criticised other Senate decisions, including reducing election notice periods from 360 days to 180 days, shortening timelines for publishing candidate lists from 150 days to 60 days, and rejecting proposals allowing voters to download electronic voter cards from INEC’s website. The coalition described these actions as weakening electoral safeguards.
While acknowledging concerns that such decisions favour entrenched political interests, he emphasised that the legislature remains central to democratic stability and must act responsibly and in line with democratic norms. Legislators, he added, must prioritise citizens’ rights and aspirations over narrow political interests.
The coalition contrasted the Senate’s stance with what it described as the more reform-driven approach of the House of Representatives on similar issues. It urged Nigerians to press for the rejection of the Senate’s position at the Joint Committee stage and called on the Senate to reconsider decisions that undermine public trust.
It also highlighted the irony of politicians relying on digital tools for campaigns and governance while questioning technology’s role in elections. CISLAC stressed that technology is indispensable to democratic progress and that Nigeria must align with global best practices in electoral administration.
The organisations reaffirmed their commitment to advocating comprehensive electoral reforms aimed at strengthening public trust and ensuring Nigerians can choose their leaders through transparent, credible, and accountable elections.
