The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has urged the National Assembly to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory in the proposed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025.
The coalition, which comprises over 70 civil society organisations working on democracy, governance, and election integrity, said the amendment presents a critical opportunity to address the systemic challenges that have continued to undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
It warned that failure to do so could further erode public confidence in Nigeria’s elections.
On its facebook page, the coalition said the controversy that trailed the 2023 general elections revealed gaps in the current Electoral Act 2022, particularly around the electronic upload and transmission of results.
Although the Act introduced innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), ambiguities in the law led to conflicting interpretations over whether electronic transmission was compulsory.
The group argued that making real-time electronic transmission to IReV mandatory would reduce human interference during collation, enhance transparency, and align Nigeria’s electoral process with global best practices.
It stressed that clear legal backing would prevent a repeat of the delays and disputes witnessed in 2023, when technical glitches and procedural disagreements sparked widespread criticism and litigation.
The Situation Room also called for the restoration of a 360-day election notice period, instead of the current 210 days.
According to the coalition, a longer notice period would give INEC, political parties, security agencies, and other stakeholders sufficient time for preparation, voter education, and the resolution of pre-election disputes.
Urging the Conference Committee to retain progressive provisions already agreed upon, the coalition called on lawmakers to demonstrate statesmanship and prioritise national interest over partisan considerations.
As debates on electoral reform continue, civil society groups say the 2025 amendment is crucial to strengthening transparency and restoring trust ahead of the 2027 general elections.
