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By Dayo Emmanuel
A coalition of civil society organisations has urged the National Assembly to adopt clear, unambiguous provisions mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results, while also calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately release the timetable for the 2027 general elections in line with the Electoral Act 2022.
The groups made the call at a press conference held on Monday at the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, amid growing concerns that ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act could undermine the credibility, transparency and predictability of the 2027 elections.
Reading a jointly issued press statement, the Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Dr. Akin Akingbulu, warned that delays and ambiguities surrounding electoral reforms could jeopardise INEC’s preparations and weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
He said the groups were particularly concerned about disagreements between the Senate and the House of Representatives on key electoral reforms, including mandatory electronic transmission of results, the introduction of downloadable Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), and proposals to compress existing electoral timelines.
According to the coalition, the Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of results, alongside its opposition to downloadable PVCs and the removal of a proposed 10-year ban for offences related to vote trading and PVC buying, poses serious risks to electoral integrity.
“The divergence between the two chambers has generated legal uncertainty and could delay INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections,” the statement said. “Electoral reform is not merely procedural; it is foundational to the credibility, transparency and predictability of democratic transitions.”
The organisations expressed concern over what they described as confusing and conflicting narratives that emerged after the Senate’s vote on the Electoral Bill. They noted that three versions of the decision were circulating in the public space: claims that the Senate approved real-time electronic transmission; assertions that INEC’s discretionary powers under the Electoral Act 2022 were retained; and reports that the Senate replaced the word “transmit” with “transfer” while removing the phrase “real-time”.
They described the confusion as troubling, stressing that electoral laws must be explicit to avoid legal disputes and operational uncertainty during elections.
On the issue of the 2027 election timetable, the groups urged INEC to comply strictly with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the commission to issue a notice of election at least 360 days before polling day.
They emphasised that delays arising from the ongoing amendment process do not suspend INEC’s statutory obligations, noting that the Electoral Act 2022 remains in force until amended.
INEC’s policy of conducting general elections on the third Saturday of February, they said, places the 2027 election on February 20, 2027, making February 24, 2026, the statutory deadline for issuing the notice of election.
Failure to release the timetable within the legal timeframe, the groups warned, could expose INEC to legal challenges and complicate preparations for political parties, candidates and other stakeholders.
The coalition acknowledged the Senate’s decision to convene an emergency plenary session scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, urging lawmakers to use the opportunity to resolve contentious issues by adopting explicit provisions on mandatory, real-time electronic transmission and collation of results, downloadable voter cards, and the retention of existing electoral timelines.
Addressing the conference committee constituted by both chambers of the National Assembly, the groups recommended the adoption of the House of Representatives’ position on electronic transmission of results while ensuring that the law remains technology-neutral.
They proposed that instead of naming specific platforms such as the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, the law should mandate electronic transmission of results to a public portal, allowing flexibility as technology evolves.
The organisations clarified that real-time transmission refers to the immediate uploading of polling unit results after counting and public declaration, in the presence of party agents and observers, and does not amount to electronic voting or automatic transmission during voting.
On downloadable PVCs, the groups cited INEC data from the 2023 general elections indicating that about 6.2 million registered voters failed to collect their cards, leading to widespread disenfranchisement.
They argued that allowing voters to download PVCs would remove barriers to participation and align Nigeria’s electoral process with modern technological realities.
The coalition also opposed any compression of existing electoral timelines, warning that shorter timelines would increase logistical risks, strain INEC’s capacity and heighten the likelihood of operational failures.
They further criticised a provision in the Electoral Bill that restricts the filing of election-related reports to INEC officials as a precondition for reviewing election results. According to them, political parties, candidates, agents and observers should be empowered to trigger reviews where credible evidence exists.
In response to questions from journalists, Dr. Akingbulu reiterated that the demands of the civil society groups were driven by the need to protect Nigeria’s democracy.
“We have put the issues on the table and we want them addressed because they are very critical,” he said. “Real-time electronic transmission of results must happen, and downloadable voter cards are necessary, especially when we know that over 6.2 million PVCs were not collected in the last election.”
He noted that technology already plays a key role in Nigeria’s electoral system, citing the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) used to verify voter identity.
“These innovations are not coming out of the blue. Technology is already validating what happens on paper, and we need to build on that to strengthen the credibility of elections,” Akingbulu said.
He added that adopting the House of Representatives’ position on electronic transmission would help reverse what he described as a backward slide in democratic reforms.
Also speaking at the press conference, the Director of the International Press Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said although INEC does not always publicly disclose its proposals, recent assurances by the new INEC Chairman suggest alignment with the use of technology to deliver credible elections.
“If we go by the pledges and promises of the new INEC Chairman, our assumption is that the commission will support proposals that enhance credibility, including the level and mode of electronic transmission of results,” Arogundade said.
On the removal of the proposed 10-year ban for electoral offenders, Arogundade described the development as dangerous, arguing that replacing strong sanctions with fines could encourage vote buying and other electoral malpractices.
“When violations attract only fines, it becomes easy for politicians to treat electoral offences as a cost of doing business,” he said, likening it to plea bargaining in financial crimes.
He warned that weakening sanctions would further erode public trust in the electoral system.
Arogundade also expressed concern about leaving the use of electronic transmission entirely to INEC’s discretion, noting that such an approach had previously triggered legal challenges over whether innovations like IReV were backed by law.
“To remove ambiguity and litigation, these provisions must be clearly stated in the Electoral Act,” he said, adding that civil society was advocating amendments that would endure over time rather than ad-hoc solutions tied to specific technologies.
He further stressed the role of political parties in strengthening democracy, noting that persistent disputes arising from party primaries often contribute to post-election litigation.
“Democracy can only work if political parties allow internal democracy and act responsibly,” Arogundade said. “Without that, even the best electoral laws will not deliver credible outcomes.”
The civil society organisations concluded by urging lawmakers to prioritise national interest over partisan considerations and called on citizens and the media to hold political leaders accountable for safeguarding Nigeria’s electoral integrity.
The statement was jointly signed by the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), The Kukah Centre, International Press Centre (IPC), ElectHer, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, TAF Africa, Yiaga Africa, Spaces for Change, CAPPA and WARDC.
