By Yakubu Ahmed
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has urged the Conference Committee of the National Assembly to adopt the House of Representatives’ version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026. It, however, warned that failure to do so could undermine electoral credibility and deepen public distrust in Nigeria’s democratic process.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade James Ezema, the coalition of registered political parties described the House version as the clearest pathway to transparent and verifiable elections, particularly through its provision for mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
According to the CNPP, the House of Representatives’ proposal compels Presiding Officers to upload polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real time immediately after declaration, while removing INEC’s discretionary powers over the mode of result transmission.
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The CNPP strongly condemned the Senate’s decision to retain provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 that allow INEC to determine “the manner in which results and accreditation data are transferred,” describing the move as anti-democratic and a looming national calamity.
“The decision to retain discretionary electronic transmission is unacceptable and capable of eroding public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system,” Ezema said.
The coalition praised the House of Representatives for responding to the demands of Nigerians, political stakeholders, and civil society organisations by proposing what it described as progressive amendments that will strengthen electoral transparency and accountability.
It warned that retaining discretionary transmission provisions preserves systemic loopholes that have historically enabled electoral malpractice, particularly during manual collation processes between polling units and collation centres.
The CNPP pointed to the 2023 general elections, where the failure to enforce real-time electronic transmission of results triggered widespread controversy, voter distrust, and prolonged post-election litigation. It also referenced the October 2023 Supreme Court ruling, which upheld INEC’s broad discretionary powers under the Electoral Act 2022, warning that preserving such discretion poses serious risks for future elections.
According to the CNPP, opposition parties, election observers, and civil society groups have consistently identified manual result transmission as the most vulnerable stage for electoral fraud.
“Without mandatory electronic uploads, Nigeria risks institutionalising opportunities for result manipulation,” the statement warned.
The organisation further cautioned that failing to mandate electronic transmission could deepen voter apathy and weaken democratic legitimacy, emphasising that public confidence is the foundation of credible elections.
While acknowledging operational challenges such as poor network coverage in remote areas, the CNPP insisted that flexibility must not come at the expense of accountability. It argued that retaining discretionary powers shields INEC from legal responsibility and renders the IReV portal largely ceremonial.
The CNPP also warned that discretionary electronic transmission weakens electoral justice by limiting aggrieved candidates and political parties’ ability to contest election outcomes in court, especially in light of existing judicial precedents.
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Describing Nigeria as being at a critical democratic crossroads, the CNPP said electoral transparency is now a constitutional necessity, not a policy option. It added that mandatory electronic transmission of election results has become a global democratic standard and should not be treated as negotiable in Nigeria’s electoral reform process.
The group called on the Conference Committee of the National Assembly to adopt the House of Representatives’ provisions mandating real-time electronic transmission of results, remove all discretionary clauses granting INEC unilateral authority, and introduce clear legal sanctions for failure to upload polling unit results electronically, except under strictly defined and verifiable circumstances.
“Any legislative action that weakens transparency mechanisms amounts to democratic sabotage,” the CNPP said, warning that history would judge the National Assembly by its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral integrity.
The CNPP reaffirmed its commitment to working with the electorate, civil society organisations, and other democratic stakeholders to advance electoral reforms that guarantee transparency, accountability, and credible elections in Nigeria.
