The Senate has defended its decision to make the electronic transmission of election results discretionary rather than mandatory in the ongoing reform of Nigeria’s electoral governance framework, emphasizing that the move is guided by empirical data rather than emotion.
Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, clarified the upper chamber’s position through his directorate of media and public affairs on Sunday.
He stressed that lawmaking carries significant responsibilities and that the Senate must act in ways that protect the interests of citizens.
The decision specifically relates to Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Bill, 2026, which originally required presiding officers to “electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real time.”
The Senate reviewed this clause, strengthening provisions for electronic transmission while introducing a safeguard: in the event of Internet failure, the traditional Form EC8A will serve as the primary means of result collation.
Senator Bamidele acknowledged that the initiative is one any legislature would ordinarily embrace, given its potential to enhance trust in democratic institutions such as the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, he emphasized that Nigeria’s current communications and power infrastructure poses practical challenges to real-time electronic transmission.
Citing data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Bamidele noted that broadband coverage reached only 70% of the country in 2025, while internet user penetration stood at 44.53%.
According to the Speedtest Global Index, Nigeria ranked 85th out of 105 countries in mobile network reliability and 129th out of 150 countries for fixed broadband, with average speeds of 44.14 Mbps and 33.32 Mbps, respectively—far below global benchmarks.
By comparison, the UAE’s mobile network averages 691.76 Mbps, and Singapore leads fixed broadband at 410.06 Mbps.
Power infrastructure also remains a constraint. Official data indicates that around 85 million Nigerians—approximately 43% of the population—still lack access to grid electricity.
Although Nigeria’s generation capacity hovers between 12,000 and 13,500 megawatts, distribution limitations mean only 4,500 megawatts reach households nationwide. The recent Electricity Act, 2025, is expected to improve these figures over time.
Given these realities, Bamidele questioned the practicality of enforcing real-time electronic transmission, warning that making it mandatory could precipitate systemic failures. “By global standards, real-time e-transmission may not be feasible at this stage of our development.
To prevent complications and safeguard our electoral process, it is prudent to make it discretionary,” he said, adding that Section 62(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, already establishes the National Electronic Register of Election Results.
The Senate leader stressed that lawmaking must respond to facts and realities, not mere public sentiment. “Democracy depends on legislation that reflects the true conditions of the federation. Laws enacted without grounding in reality risk instability and undermine governance,” Bamidele said.
The revised Clause 60(3 & 5) removes the term “real-time” while maintaining strong provisions for electronic transmission, addressing public concerns without compromising practicality.
The debate around e-transmission has drawn national attention, including demonstrations led by opposition figures such as former presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
The controversy prompted the Senate to hold an emergency session to clarify and refine the legislation.
Senator Bamidele concluded that the Senate’s data-driven approach ensures a robust electoral governance framework that balances innovation with the stark realities of Nigeria’s infrastructure, protecting both democratic integrity and the citizenry.
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