₦airaland Forum

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has asked the national assembly to reverse the senate’s position on the Electoral Act amendment bill and include a provision making the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.

In a statement on Saturday, the national executive council (NEC) of the NBA said it adopted this position after considering a report presented by Afam Osigwe, president of the association, at its February 5 meeting in Maiduguri, Borno state.

The NBA’s stance comes amid intense public debate over the senate’s handling of the Electoral Act amendment bill.

On Wednesday, the senate retained the provision for electronic transfer of election results as contained in the Electoral Act 2022.

During the consideration of the bill, the red chamber also rejected proposals for real-time results transmission and a 10-year ban on vote buyers, opting instead to maintain existing sanctions of fines or jail terms.

However, some members of the upper chamber have clarified that the bill enjoyed the backing of the majority in the senate.

Despite that widespread backing, the senate did not adopt the real-time transmission of election results sought by some advocates; instead, it retained the existing wording from the 2022 Electoral Act, under which results are to be transferred “in a manner as prescribed by the commission”.


In its report, NBA warned that such discretionary phrasing weakens the legal basis for transparent, real-time result reporting, leaving space for manipulation and post-election disputes.

The association said a clear statutory requirement for electronic transmission is essential to protect the integrity of votes and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.

It also noted that credible elections remain the foundation of constitutional democracy and warned that continued resistance to enforceable electronic transmission provisions undermines democratic accountability.

The association said technology-driven transparency is no longer optional in modern democracies, urging Nigeria to align its electoral framework with global best practices.


Accordingly, the NBA called on members of the national assembly to demonstrate legislative responsibility by voting in favour of the amendment compelling the electronic transmission of election results.

“The council resolved that the national assembly must urgently revisit clause 60(3) and pass the proposed amendment to expressly mandate electronic transmission of results from polling units,” the statement reads

Putindbutt:
Some people just want to talk for the sake of it, perhaps to placate done unthinking online mob. Otherwise, I can't see any rationale in NBA that's still doing vote counting in its election be talking about E-transmission. A body that can't conduct credible elections for less than 50,000 members. High level hypocrisy!

Ofunaofu:
I want to ask: what is your problem with mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units?

Why are you vehemently against it?

RichBoy247:
Who is NBA? Professional criminals that defend anybody that brings money to them. They defend thieves, armed robbers, treasury looters, kidnappers, drug traffickers, Judy name it. Once you have money, they will defend you. Such association of criminals are not fit to talk about Law and Order

Putindbutt:
Some people just want to talk for the sake of it, perhaps to placate done unthinking online mob. Otherwise, I can't see any rationale in NBA that's still doing vote counting in its election be talking about E-transmission. A body that can't conduct credible elections for less than 50,000 members. High level hypocrisy!

Cyberterror:
We already know the NBA is partisan. You want it to be mandatory when your agents are busy cutting and stealing fibre optic cables across the country and your hackers in Dubai and Agulu are on standby. Jagaban is smarter than you guys.

Putindbutt:
Some people just want to talk for the sake of it, perhaps to placate done unthinking online mob. Otherwise, I can't see any rationale in NBA that's still doing vote counting in its election be talking about E-transmission. A body that can't conduct credible elections for less than 50,000 members. High level hypocrisy!

israelmao:
The heat must be sustained on the rubber-stamp Senate for it to give in to the will of right-thinking Nigerians.

RichBoy247:
Who is NBA? Professional criminals that defend anybody that brings money to them. They defend thieves, armed robbers, treasury looters, kidnappers, drug traffickers, Judy name it. Once you have money, they will defend you. Such association of criminals are not fit to talk about Law and Order

Putindbutt:
Some people just want to talk for the sake of it, perhaps to placate done unthinking online mob. Otherwise, I can't see any rationale in NBA that's still doing vote counting in its election be talking about E-transmission. A body that can't conduct credible elections for less than 50,000 members. High level hypocrisy!

Alliswell248:
Clown and noisemaker.
Even in the US and the UK, there is nothing like that.

LibertyRep:
I think the operational word is MANDATORY.

So what happens in case of network glitch or anything that prevents the transmission? The result is invalid.

Putindbutt:
Some people just want to talk for the sake of it, perhaps to placate done unthinking online mob. Otherwise, I can't see any rationale in NBA that's still doing vote counting in its election be talking about E-transmission. A body that can't conduct credible elections for less than 50,000 members. High level hypocrisy!

Ofunaofu:
I want to ask: what is your problem with mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units?

Why are you vehemently against it?