The Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF) has urged lawmakers to ensure that the ongoing amendment to Nigeria’s electoral law includes a mandatory requirement for real-time electronic transmission of election results, warning that diluting or removing this provision would weaken the nation’s democracy.
In a statement released on Monday and issued to journalists in Kaduna, the forum said Clause 60 of the Electoral Amendment Bill — as passed by the House of Representatives and harmonised by the National Assembly’s joint conference committee — should remain unchanged to safeguard credible elections.
The statement was signed by key socio-cultural leaders, including Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Leader of the SMBLF and Afenifere; Dr. Bitrus Pogu, President of the Middle Belt Forum; Senator John Azuta-Mbata, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; and Ambassador Godknows Igali, National Chairman of PANDEF.
Emphasising that free, fair and transparent elections are fundamental to democratic governance, the forum said electronic results transmission via the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) would curb secrecy, manipulation and post-election disputes by allowing polling unit results to be viewed in real time.
The group voiced concern over reports suggesting that the Senate altered the harmonised bill by removing the clause that would make compulsory real-time electronic transmission mandatory. It noted that several senators, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, had publicly stated they supported such a mandate during legislative sessions, only for a different version of the bill to emerge.
Describing such developments as unacceptable in a democratic legislature, the SMBLF warned that Nigerians would resist any attempt to impose a diluted or less transparent law.
The forum also referenced Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, in which the Supreme Court interpreted Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 — which makes electronic transmission discretionary — as allowing INEC leeway. It said that loophole must not be repeated in the amended law.
Addressing concerns about network coverage and technology, the SMBLF pointed out that INEC’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) can store results offline and upload them once connectivity is restored, as demonstrated in previous elections.
The leadership forum argued that a compulsory real-time electronic transmission requirement would enhance credibility, protect votes in vulnerable communities, reduce post-election violence, and compel political actors to respect citizens’ choices.
Linking poor electoral integrity to broader insecurity, the SMBLF cited recent attacks in Kwara State’s Kaiama Local Government Area and other nationwide violence, stressing that elections in which citizens have confidence can strengthen governance and security.
In closing, the forum reiterated the need for electoral reforms that reflect Nigerians’ will, calling on lawmakers to uphold democratic principles and resist any attempt to rollback transparency safeguards.