The PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative has criticised the Nigerian Senate over its reported refusal to amend provisions of the Electoral Act to make electronic transmission of election results from polling units mandatory.
Coordinator of the group, Courage Nsirimovu, alleged that members of the National Assembly were enabling electoral malpractice by not supporting reforms aimed at strengthening transparency in the electoral process.
He claimed lawmakers had not consistently acted in the interest of Nigerians but were more aligned with executive priorities.
Nsirimovu warned that allowing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) discretion on how election results are transmitted could undermine public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He argued that electronic transmission of results directly from polling units would help reduce opportunities for manipulation during collation.
Citing past election observations, he alleged that irregularities often occur between the announcement of results at polling units and their final collation, including instances where ballot materials were reportedly tampered with during transit.
The PILEX coordinator described leadership challenges in Nigeria as largely linked to flaws in the electoral process and stressed the need for reforms to ensure credible elections. He urged citizens to advocate for improvements in electoral transparency and accountability.
The Senate has not issued an official response to the allegations at the time of filing this report.
