Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has expressed skepticism that electronic transmission of election results alone can guarantee free, fair, and credible polls, following the recent passage of Nigeria’s Amended Electoral Act. Sani, a former lawmaker, stated that technological measures cannot fully prevent electoral manipulation if the political will is lacking.
His comments, made during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme on Wednesday, come after the Nigerian Senate approved provisions for electronic results transmission while retaining manual collation as a contingency. The amended law is poised to update the country’s electoral framework ahead of future general elections.
Sani argued that electronic transfer is not a panacea for electoral integrity. “Electronic transfer does not mean that we’re going to have 100% free and fair election. There is no electoral system that those who intend to rig would not be able to circumvent,” he said. He emphasized that the hybrid system—combining electronic transmission with a manual backup—still presents vulnerabilities.
“If the nation is interested in organizing free, fair and credible elections, it will hold,” Sani stated. “If there is the intent and practice of manipulation, whatever you do they will find a way to rig it.” He illustrated his point by referencing persistent challenges like voter inducement. “You can have laws everywhere that voters should not be induced… they will still do that, and we don’t have the manpower to go to every nook and cranny to make sure people are not being induced.”
The senator’s critique underscores that technology, while a potential tool, is insufficient without robust institutional commitment, security deployment, and voter education. His perspective adds to ongoing national discourse on implementing the new Electoral Act, which aims to enhance transparency but remains subject to operational and political realities.
The international community and domestic observers will likely monitor how these provisions are applied in practice. The ultimate test, as Sani suggests, may depend less on the method of results transmission and more on the collective integrity of Nigeria’s electoral stakeholders.
