NBA urges National Assembly to reverse electronic transmission of election results
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) urged the National Assembly to vote in favor of the proposed amendment to Article 60, subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill, which seeks to mandate the electronic transmission of election results.
This followed the adoption of a report by the President of the association, Max Afam Osigwe, SAN, at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Maiduguri, Borno Stateon February 5, 2026.
At the meeting, the NEC deliberated on the President’s report, which highlighted the Senate’s recent rejection of a proposed amendment to Section 60(3) of the Electoral Amendment Bill.
The rejected proposal would have mandated the presidents of the Assembly Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) electronically transmit the results of the polling units in real time to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV), immediately after the EC8A form has been duly signed, stamped and countersigned by the party agents.
Instead, the Senate decided to retain the existing provision of the election law, which simply states that “the presiding officer shall transmit the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the poll, in the manner prescribed by the Commission.”
NEC noted with concern that this discretionary language weakens the legal basis for transparent, real-time transmission of results and leaves room for manipulation, ambiguity and post-election disputes.
In adopting the President’s report, NEC resolved that the National Assembly should urgently review and adopt the proposed amendment to Article 60(3) to expressly require the electronic transmission of polling unit results. NEC stressed that a clear legal obligation, rather than discretionary language, is essential to ensure electoral transparency, protect the integrity of votes cast and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
The NEC further observed that credible elections are the foundation of constitutional democracy and continued resistance to enforceable electronic transmission provisions undermines democratic accountability. The council stressed that technology-enabled transparency is no longer optional in a modern democracy and that Nigeria must align its electoral framework with global best practices.
Accordingly, the NEC called on members of the National Assembly to demonstrate legislative responsibility and statesmanship by voting in favor of the proposed amendment requiring electronic transmission of election results. The council reaffirmed the NBA’s commitment to sustained engagement and advocacy to ensure that Nigeria’s electoral laws clearly reflect the will of the people as expressed at the ballot.
