By Kingston Magare 8.2.2026
Senate president Godswill Akpabio has argued that electronic transmission of results will not work in Nigeria.
Akpabio who was speaking against the background of criticism that trailed the Senate’s decision to omit electronic transmission of results from the Electrical Act for the 2027 general elections, said infrastructural deficiency will make it impossible for such to work effectively.
“Real-time transmission means that in over nine states where networks are not working because of insecurity, there will be no election results. Nationally, it means that if the national grid collapses and no network is working, no election results will be valid,” Akpabio said at a book presentation by a former senator, Effiong Bob. The book is titled “The Burdens of Legislators in Nigeria.”
Akpabio submitted that the blowback to the Senate decision was misplaced since it was the responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct free and fair elections.
“The Senate does not conduct elections, we don’t deploy technology, we only make laws. And INEC must apply the law,” he said.
“The timing, scope and modality rests with INEC, acting within the framework of the law enacted by the parliament and interpreted by the Supreme Court.”
Opposition political parties, the Nigeria Labour Congress, civil society groups and the Nigerian Bar Association registered their displeasure over the Senate position.
They viewed the jettisoning of electronic transmission as an open door to election rigging.