A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has called on the Senate to expunge manual result transmission from Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting that elections lacking electronic transmission from polling units should be declared invalid.
Okonkwo made the call on Tuesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, arguing that compulsory transmission of results from polling units would curb electoral fraud and strengthen public confidence in the process.
According to him, once the law mandates polling officers to transmit results directly from polling units, it would eliminate opportunities for manipulation during movement to collation centres.
“Once they put it in the law that results must be transmitted from the polling unit, I am satisfied. It means no polling officer will leave the unit with results,” he said.
He further urged lawmakers to take a firmer stance by cancelling elections where electronic transmission fails.
“If it is not possible to transmit results from the polling unit, then that election should be cancelled,” Okonkwo stated.
Responding to concerns that cancelling elections over failed transmission might be unfair, the actor-turned-politician argued that the entire electoral process revolves around credible results.
“The whole reason for accreditation and voting is to get results. If the outcome is fraudulent, then the exercise is meaningless,” he said, adding that compromised elections only embolden those who undermine democracy.
Okonkwo linked Nigeria’s developmental challenges to repeated electoral irregularities, asserting that credible elections would radically transform the country.
“The major problem we have is fraudulent elections. The day Nigeria gets free and fair elections, 20 years after that we would become a superpower. America remains strong today because power truly belongs to the people,” he said.
He also stressed that democracy does not belong to any political party, calling on Nigerians across political lines to defend democratic principles.
His comments come amid ongoing debates over amendments to the Electoral Act. The Senate last week passed the amendment bill but rejected proposals for real-time electronic transmission of election results, retaining provisions that allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the mode of transmission.
The decision drew criticism from opposition figures and civil society groups, who staged protests at the National Assembly, warning that the move could weaken Nigeria’s democracy.
However, following public outcry, the Senate on Tuesday approved electronic transmission of results without the “real-time” requirement, while stipulating that Form EC8A would serve as the primary instrument for result collation where internet connectivity fails.
Lawmakers also set up a harmonisation committee to reconcile differences between the Senate and House of Representatives versions of the bill.
