President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday explained his reasons for signing the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) into law, stating that the credibility of elections depends more on effective management and human oversight than on real-time electronic transmission of results.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja shortly after assenting to the bill, the President addressed the ongoing debate over whether election results should be uploaded live from polling units.
He said the priority should be ensuring a smooth and transparent process that prevents confusion and voter disenfranchisement.
According to him, no matter how advanced an electoral system may be, it is ultimately operated and concluded by people.
He emphasized that final results are declared by designated electoral officials, not computers.
On the issue of electronic transmission, Tinubu urged Nigerians to consider the country’s technical capacity, including broadband infrastructure, when assessing the feasibility of mandatory real-time uploads.
He questioned whether the nation is fully equipped to rely solely on such technology without disruptions.
The President reiterated that voting in Nigeria remains largely manual. Voters receive ballot papers physically, cast their votes in secret, and the ballots are sorted and counted by hand at polling units. What is transmitted electronically, he explained, is the numerical record documented on Form EC8A after manual collation.
He stressed the need to avoid technical glitches, interference, or cyber threats that could undermine confidence in the electoral process. Tinubu expressed optimism that Nigeria’s democracy would continue to grow and deliver stability and prosperity.
The amendment to the Electoral Act had sparked intense public and legislative debate, particularly over whether to make real-time electronic transmission of results mandatory. While the House of Representatives initially approved a version requiring live uploads from polling units, the Senate revised the provision.
The final version retains electronic transmission of results but allows manually signed result forms to serve as the basis for collation and declaration if electronic transmission fails due to network challenges.
The issue generated criticism from opposition parties, civil society groups, and reform advocates, who argued that the fallback provision could create room for manipulation. It also led to heated exchanges and protests within the National Assembly before the bill was eventually passed and signed into law.
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