Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a group of civil society organisations has called on the National Assembly to make the real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results mandatory under the law.
The demand was made at a joint news conference in Abuja.
The group while warning that further delays in the harmonization and passing of the bill will create legal uncertainty for the 2027 general elections expressed deep concern over the Senate’s recent rejection of real-time electronic transmission, urging the Joint Conference Committee to adopt the House of Representatives’ version of the bill.
The coalition argues that for the 2027 polls to be credible, the law must explicitly mandate the electronic upload of results directly from polling units to a public portal.
Beyond transmission, the group is pushing for the introduction of downloadable voter cards as they noted that over six million Nigerians were unable to vote in 2023.
The group also criticized a proposed clause that would allow only INEC officials to trigger a review of disputed results as they argued that since some officials have been found complicit in past electoral fraud, candidates, party agents, and accredited observers should also have the power to file reports for a review, adding that the National Assembly is expected to conclude the amendment process and transmit the final bill to the President within the next two weeks to ensure a predictable roadmap for the 2027 elections.