ABUJA, — Nigeria’s Senate has reversed its earlier position and backed real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units, following public backlash, street protests and pressure from legal and labour groups ahead of the 2027 general election.
The U-turn came days after senators had rejected language that would have required immediate upload of polling-unit results, arguing at the time that insecurity and patchy network coverage could complicate implementation. That rejection triggered criticism from opposition leaders, civil society groups and professional bodies, with demonstrators gathering outside the National Assembly on Monday to demand a reversal.
In Tuesday’s emergency proceedings, lawmakers approved amended provisions allowing presiding officers to transmit results electronically after polling-unit procedures are completed, while retaining signed hard-copy documentation as contingency evidence where technology fails. Reports on the harmonised text indicate the Senate and House are now moving to reconcile final wording before forwarding the amendment bill for presidential assent.
The decision is politically significant because election credibility has become one of Nigeria’s most contentious governance issues. Reform advocates have long argued that real-time publication of results can narrow the manipulation window between polling-unit collation and higher-level aggregation, where many disputes historically emerge. Nigeria’s electoral system has introduced biometric accreditation and digital tools in recent cycles, but collation remains partly manual and frequently litigated.
With roughly 176,000 polling units nationwide, implementation will test infrastructure, logistics and legal clarity at scale. Civil-society groups and election lawyers say the key determinant of impact is not just transmission itself, but whether results are publicly visible promptly, traceable by polling unit, and legally protected against post-upload alteration.
The Senate’s reversal also reflects rising political costs of perceived opacity. The Nigerian Bar Association had warned the earlier rejection could deepen electoral mistrust, while the Nigeria Labour Congress threatened mass action or boycott calls if lawmakers refused to restore a stronger e-transmission clause.
Nigeria heads to general elections in February 2027, when President Bola Tinubu is expected to seek a second term. For lawmakers, Tuesday’s vote may calm immediate tensions—but credibility gains will ultimately depend on enforceable rules, network preparedness, and transparent public access to polling-unit data on election day.
