Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly opposed the Senate’s recent amendment to the Electoral Act that permits a combination of electronic and manual transmission of election results, describing the hybrid approach as a recipe for confusion and potential chaos in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting with former military president Ibrahim Babangida in Niger State, Atiku emphasised that Nigerians had anticipated a fully real-time electronic transmission system following the gains made in the 2022 Electoral Act amendments.
Instead, he argued, the new provision falls short and risks undermining transparency.
“I oppose the decision to combine electronic and manual transmission of election results. It will cause confusion,” Atiku stated clearly.
He added that “Nigeria expected real-time electronic transfer to the various levels of the elections, but what we got is a mixture of electronic and manual transmission, which is going to cause more confusion or chaos.”
The Senate’s amendment, passed earlier this month after intense debate, makes it compulsory for presiding officers to upload results electronically to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time.
However, it includes a fallback clause allowing manual result sheets (such as Form EC8A) to be used for collation when electronic transmission fails due to network issues or other technical glitches.
Critics, including civil society groups and opposition figures, view this as a loophole that could enable manipulation by allowing manual overrides under the pretext of failure.
Atiku, now aligned with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as part of broader opposition efforts, called for unity among opposition parties to push back against the change.
“There is need for all the opposition political parties to come together to pursue this issue,” he urged, framing the hybrid system as a step backward from the push for greater electoral integrity.
The development has sparked renewed public debate and protests under the #OccupyNASS hashtag, with demonstrators — including activist Omoyele Sowore — gathering at the National Assembly to demand mandatory, real-time electronic transmission without exceptions.
Many Nigerians express concern that the mixed system could recreate opportunities for rigging seen in past elections, especially as the country prepares for the 2027 general polls.
Atiku’s comments align with earlier criticisms from civil society organizations and some minority senators who have argued that retaining discretionary elements in transmission weakens public trust in the process.
Senate leadership has maintained that the law preserves electronic transmission options while addressing practical challenges like inconsistent network coverage in parts of the country.
As the amendment awaits concurrence from the House of Representatives and potential presidential assent, Atiku’s intervention highlights the deepening divide over how best to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy in an increasingly digital era.
Opposition voices continue to insist that only a fully electronic, tamper-proof system can deliver the credible elections Nigerians deserve.
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