Senate’s Rejection Of E-Transmission Puts Nigeria’s Democracy At Risk – Osuntokun

Akin Osuntokun, former Director-General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, has criticized the Senate’s decision to reject the electronic transmission of election results, calling it a serious setback for Nigeria’s democratic development.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Osuntokun, who recently joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Lagos, responding to the Senate’s exclusion of e-transmission from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, passed on Wednesday.

He said, “It does not bode well for the growth of democracy in Nigeria. Anything that makes elections less accountable also makes them less credible.”

The former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria argued that rejecting electronic transmission undermines electoral transparency and weakens accountability.

“The growth of democracy depends on accountability and the integrity of elections. Any elections conducted without these standards fall short of credibility and hinder democratic consolidation,” he noted.

Osuntokun also described the Senate’s move as suspicious, suggesting it could be a deliberate attempt to create opportunities for electoral manipulation.

“The logical interpretation of their actions is that they want to leave avenues open for election manipulation,” he said.

He further criticized the Senate’s justification, stating that there is no credible explanation for the decision.

“What is their reasoning? There is no tenable explanation. Using e-transmission reduces the risk of manual interference, yet any intervention that limits manipulation seems opposed by the Senate,” he added.

While acknowledging that the decision may not lead to voter apathy, Osuntokun warned that it could increase vigilance and tension at polling and collation centers.

“Voters will likely remain physically present to ensure their votes are properly counted. However, this distrust may provoke anger, suspicion, and even interference at collation points. Turnout may not drop, but it could foster indignation and more aggressive monitoring,” he cautioned.

The Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 after its third reading on Wednesday, but rejected a proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, which would have made electronic transmission of results mandatory. Lawmakers opposing the proposal cited technical and logistical challenges, especially with nationwide implementation, as their reason.