A former Nigerian deputy governor has cautioned against rushing the implementation of real-time electronic transmission of election results, citing significant infrastructural gaps. Mukhtar Shagari, who served as Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, expressed his view in an interview on Arise Television this Friday.
His comments arrive amidst a legislative dispute in Abuja, where the Nigerian Senate reportedly rejected a provision in the Electoral Amendment Bill. The proposed Clause 60(3) aimed to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory. Shagari acknowledged the potential benefits of e-transmission but argued Nigeria’s current realities make immediate adoption imprudent.
“We must admit that we have a lot of challenges,” Shagari stated, pointing to unreliable national electricity supply and inconsistent telecommunications services as primary obstacles. He stressed the need to first strengthen the foundational processes of the electoral system. “We should try to make sure that we perfect our elections because we still have problems as far as our elections are concerned,” he added, framing the issue as part of a gradual learning curve.
To underscore his point, Shagari referenced the United States, a long-established democracy that faced its own controversies in transmitting results during the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. “America, with all its experience in elections, technology and so on, could not have a perfect election when it comes to issues of transmission of results, let alone Nigeria,” he remarked.
The Senate’s rejection of the compulsory transmission clause represents a significant moment in Nigeria’s ongoing electoral reform efforts. It highlights a tension between adopting modern technology to enhance transparency and the practical constraints of Nigeria’s developing infrastructure. Shagari’s perspective reinforces a cautious approach, suggesting that robust manual systems and procedural integrity must be solidified before embracing technology that may be prone to failure.
The debate is pivotal as Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeks to improve credibility in future polls. While electronic transmission is viewed by many as a tool to reduce result manipulation, critics argue that without dependable power and network coverage across all regions, it could introduce new vulnerabilities. Shagari’s intervention adds a seasoned political voice to the discourse, urging a prioritization of systemic reliability over technological ambition. The legislative process for the Electoral Amendment Bill continues, with the House of Representatives yet to reconcile its version with the Senate’s.
