Emma Elekwa
A civil society group, Leadership Orientation and Basic Rights Advocacy Centre (LOBRAC) has called on the 10th Senate under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio to save Nigeria’s democracy by approving amendments to clause 10 section 3 of the proposed electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The clause is seeking to compel real time electronic transmission of election results.
LOBRAC on Monday, February 9, 2026, in a communique decried controversies around Senate’s failure to promptly approve the vital change to the 2022 Electoral Act.
The 2022 Act conferred discretion on the Electoral Commission (INEC) on mode of transfer of election results from polling units.
The group described the failure as inimical to Nigeria’s democratic advancement.
The group’s Executive Director, Barr. Stanley Okafor, and its National Secretary Barr. Franklin Asiegbu jointly signed the communique.
It noted that electronic transmission of election results will boost efforts to solidify Nigeria’s democratic credentials.
The group warned that thwarting approval of that essential provision would amount to dangerous plunder of Nigeria’s democracy.
Nigerians’ aspiration
“It’s alarming that the upper house of the National Assembly had chosen to toy with the aspirations of millions of Nigerians for election credibility by avoiding such essential amendment.
“The matter which the Supreme Court of Nigeria had poignantly alluded to following litigation in the aftermath of the 2023 presidential election ought to be seriously reviewed with a view to avoiding its repetitive loopholes.
“Section 60 of the current electoral Act stipulates manual recording of election results from polling units, and thereafter transfer of the results.
“Sub section 5 thereof confers discretion on INEC on the mode of conducting such transfer.
“Nigerians are therefore united in rejecting that discretion which INEC currently enjoys.
“It has caused serious dent on outcomes of our elections.
It insisted that the electoral law must compel INEC to transmit election results by electronic means from the polling units>
“Senate’s avoidance of that essential amendment is a pivotal threat to our democracy”, Okafor added.
The group said it would join all well-meaning Nigerians, including labour unions, in persuading the upper house of the national assembly to bow to the collective wish of Nigerians on this important matter.
