A senior Nigerian lawyer has called for the compulsory electronic transmission of election results, describing it as essential to ensuring transparency and protecting the integrity of the country’s electoral process.
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), expressed concern over discussions in the National Assembly regarding whether electronic transmission should be mandatory in the amended Electoral Act.
He said the debate was “worrisome and befuddling”, particularly at a time when many government institutions in Nigeria were adopting digital systems and reducing reliance on paper processes.
Nigeria’s elections have long been criticised over allegations of fraud, corruption and manipulation, especially during the collation and transmission of results. Critics argue that manual processes increase the risk of interference and undermine public confidence.
Mr Adegboruwa said reducing human involvement in result transmission would help improve transparency and credibility.
He urged lawmakers to act in the interests of Nigerians and strengthen safeguards around elections.
“As representatives of the people, the National Assembly should reflect the overall interests of Nigerians in their laws, policies and actions,” he said.
He added that electronic transmission should no longer be a matter of controversy, given Nigeria’s stage of democratic development.
The senior lawyer also called on legislators to ensure that the final amended Electoral Act makes electronic transmission compulsory, saying it would help guarantee that election outcomes reflect the will of voters.
Debate over electoral reforms has intensified in recent years, with civil society groups and political observers pushing for greater use of technology to improve transparency and reduce disputes following elections.
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has introduced some digital measures in recent election cycles, but discussions continue over the extent to which electronic transmission should be fully mandated by law.
