₦airaland Forum

The pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Friday, took a swipe at the Senate for rejecting the mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results and digital voter identification.

Afenifere, in a statement by its Leader and National Publicity Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and Prince Justice Faloye, Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, described the Senate’s decision as betrayal of constitutionalism and multiparty democracy.

On February 4, 2026, the upper chamber passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026.

Reacting to rejection of the mandatory electronic transmission of results, the Yoruba body said: “This is tantamount to a betrayal of constitutionalism and multiparty democracy, as it prioritizes political incumbency over democratic integrity. This decision is obviously self serving and a move towards one party state, teleguided by the executive as witnessed over the years in Lagos State.


“It is an assault on national conscience* – Afenifere is astounded by the Nigerian Senate decision to reject key amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, including mandatory electronic transmission of results and downloadable electronic voters’ cards with QR codes. This move, ahead of the 2027 elections, perpetuates manual processes prone to manipulation and undermining electoral credibility. By retaining discretionary language that allows INEC to “prescribe the manner” of transfer, the Senate preserves the ability to rig through manual collation loopholes that have historically enabled result manipulation and post-election disputes.

“While the Senate claims electronic transmission is “still allowed” under existing law, the Supreme Court previously ruled that such transmission is not mandatory because it is not explicitly provided for in the Electoral Act 2022. By refusing to codify it as a legal requirement in the 2026 Bill, the Senate intentionally leaves the process vulnerable to administrative “glitches” or selective non-compliance, undermining the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution’s call for free and fair elections.


“Section 78 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the National Assembly to legislate for credible federal elections. Unfortunately, the Senate has subverted the mandatory transparency by rejecting an amendment to Clause 60(3) which would have legally compelled INEC to transmit results from polling units to the IReV portal in real-time. By rejecting mandatory electronic transmission, the Senate fails to advance constitutional imperatives for fair elections, allowing potential interference that contravene the spirit of democratic governance and equal suffrage under Sections 117-119. The rejection of Clause 47, which sought to allow downloadable electronic voter cards with QR codes, forces a continued reliance on physical Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). This decision disenfranchises voters who may lose their physical cards and ignores modern digital identification advancements, directly contradicting the goal of making elections more accessible.

“Globally, from the USA to the newest democracies like Estonia that became democratic after Nigeria, there is end-to-end verifiability in electronic systems to ensure integrity and auditability, so why not Nigeria? Countries such as Estonia implement secure internet voting with universal verifiability, reducing manipulation risks. The Nigerian Senate, by keeping transmission optional, lags behind these standards, fostering opacity instead of trust.

“Afenifere calls on the Joint committee setup to harmonize the different House of Representatives and Senate versions, to let democracy survive by accepting mandatory real time electronic transmission of election results from polling booths to iRev. Otherwise the legislature will be sending clear signals that it is not yet ready to fully embrace a credible, technology-driven electoral framework for the 2027 General Elections. Afenifere cautions that care has to be taken not to completely lose peoples trust in the current democratic disposition. Let democracy breathe.”

Buhari and APC henchmen obviously love ballot snatching that favors them. After all, APC ballot snatchers in Lagos had a field day without the slightest consequences in the 2019 election. They only want to murder ballot snatchers that aren't APC thugs.

It is obvious that the 2023 election is already rigged more than a year before it will take place. But if they are allowed to get away with it again, forget about democracy ever taking roots. Nigeria would officially be a rigocracy.

Bobloco:
... towards a one party state

Electronic transmission of results: Senate’s decision is self serving towards one party state – Afenifere



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/02/electronic-transmission-of-results-senates-decision-is-self-serving-towards-one-party-state-afenifere/

Madmohamed1:
This tinubu regime will affect Yoruba in future and they will be the people will be complaining then, as for my people wee use to it .

The law you put today to favors you because your in power the same law will be against you when you leave office.

Sirleo05:
I told some people most especially APC people that e no sure for dem to win elections without rigging. If e sure dem, make dem pass the electoral act version that the people want.

SpaceX:
Only the wicked runs when no one is after them. If tinubu is confident in his working what is stopping them from doing the right thing

Macphenson:
Even with 30 governors and counting, he is still afraid of free fair and credible elections.

The useless Lagos APC won't see this statement from Afenifere,

Quest7777:
No well-meaning Nigerian should be against E-Transmission.

Image123:
Do these folks really think that real time transmission of results stops the Jagaban from winning?

phemray:
E-transmission is good but Nigerians is not yet matured for this due to higher level of aggression by supporters. All candidates riggs in elections and with This, just add 0 to the normal figure before transmission, then the rigging is sent to database.

If someone can rig to get 90% in a 3horse race election in a zone ( his stronghold) without e- transmission, so. imagine what such person will do with e- transmission. It's so easy to rig with e- transmission for collation except it will never be used for collation of final results.

YourKarma:
If they born your jagaban well, let him push for electronic transmission. You might be enjoying this whole shitstorm because you feel it favours your candidate but don't complain after the tenure of your candidate when another president would use it against y'all.

Remember how it went during the PDP days