The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning that it may mobilise nationwide protests or even consider boycotting future elections if the Electoral Act is not amended to make real-time electronic transmission of election results compulsory.
In a statement on Sunday, NLC President Joe Ajaero stressed that the law must explicitly require the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results electronically from polling units as votes are counted. He argued that failure to enforce this would further erode public confidence in the electoral process.
The warning follows the Senate’s February 4 decision to reject a proposal that would have made real-time electronic transmission mandatory under the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026. While lawmakers retained general provisions for electronic transmission, the law still allows results to be collated and transmitted manually, even with the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in place.
Ajaero said, “The people of Nigeria deserve an electoral system where results are not just counted but clearly visible in real time”, noting that the Senate’s decision has heightened public distrust, especially in light of controversies during the 2023 general elections.
The NLC called for the final version of the amended Electoral Act to contain clear, enforceable provisions that compel INEC to transmit and collate results electronically as they are recorded at polling units.
Ajaero warned that organised labour would not hesitate to take action if these demands are ignored, signalling possible mass mobilisation of Nigerians to demand greater electoral transparency.
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