Nigeria’s former electoral chief has cautioned against implementing real-time electronic transmission of election results, stating the nation lacks the foundational infrastructure to support such a system.
Dr. Mustapha Lecky, a past Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), expressed this view during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday. His comments follow the Nigerian Senate’s recent rejection of a proposed amendment to the Electoral Act that would have mandated electronic transmission of results.
The Senate, on Wednesday, reportedly refused to adopt Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which sought to make the digital transmission of results compulsory. Reacting to this legislative development, Dr. Lecky argued that the focus on instantaneous results is misplaced without first transitioning to electronic voting.
“It doesn’t really make sense to me that we should be talking about instantaneous transmission of results live as it is happening because we don’t do electronic voting anywhere. Nigeria is not yet ready for that,” he stated.
Lecky emphasized that electronic result transmission and electronic voting are interdependent processes. He explained that the current system relies on physical ballot papers deposited in boxes, followed by an open, manual counting process observable by party agents. Introducing a separate electronic transmission layer for results compiled from paper counts, he contended, is an unnecessary complication.
“You have to think about those things. Those things must go together. It’s not electronic voting. When we are doing electronic voting, then it can be instantaneous, right? So if we are not doing that, people are still coming with papers to put on the ballot box. And then you have to count there for everybody to see… the argument is baseless,” he added.
The debate highlights a critical juncture in Nigeria’s electoral reform. Proponents of electronic transmission argue it enhances transparency and speeds up result collation. However, critics, echoing Dr. Lecky, point to technological gaps, cybersecurity concerns, and the nation’s continued reliance on a manual voting system as insurmountable barriers to immediate implementation.
The rejected Senate amendment remains part of the broader Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which will proceed through the legislative process. The outcome of this discussion will significantly shape the operational framework for Nigeria’s future elections, determining whether reforms will prioritize a phased integration of technology or maintain the status quo of manual processes.
