ABUJA – A heavy cloud of political uncertainty hangs over the National Assembly today as lawmakers from both chambers gather for a high-stakes “harmonisation” meeting that will determine exactly how your vote is counted in the next general election.
At the center of the storm is a single, explosive question: Should the law force the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload results electronically in real-time, or should it remain an optional “favor”?
The Great Disconnect
The Senate and the House of Representatives are currently worlds apart on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
The House, sensing the public’s thirst for transparency, passed a version of the bill that makes it compulsory for presiding officers to beam results directly from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. The logic is simple: if the world sees the numbers immediately, they are much harder to “cook” at the collation centers.
However, the Senate is pulling in the opposite direction. Their version leaves the door ajar for manual transmission, arguing that Nigeria’s patchy internet and electricity mean a digital-only mandate is a recipe for disaster.
Heat in the Lobby
The atmosphere in the National Assembly complex this morning is thick with more than just harmattan haze. Reports suggest that “orders from above” are being leaned on House members to drop their hardline stance on electronic transmission.
Critics of the Senate’s “flexible” approach say it’s nothing more than a loophole. “We’ve seen this movie before,” one PDP lawmaker muttered to reporters in the hallway. “Once you make it optional, ‘technical glitches’ become a political tool. If we don’t fix this now, 2027 is already compromised.”
On the other side of the aisle, proponents of the manual backup say they are being “realistic.” They point to the millions of voters in the creeks and deep forests where even a phone signal is a luxury.
Public Trust on the Line
For many Nigerians, this isn’t just about tech—it’s about the scars of the 2023 elections. The failure to upload presidential results promptly that year triggered a wave of litigation and a massive dip in public confidence.
Pro-democracy activists have already begun circling the legislative building, reminding the 24-member joint committee that the eyes of the nation—and the international community—are on them.
The Final Count
By the time the sun sets today, the committee is expected to produce a “harmonised” document. If they side with the House, Nigeria moves toward a digital-first democracy. If the Senate prevails, the manual tally remains the king of the jungle.
The decision reached today will be sent to the Presidency for assent, setting the stage for the most anticipated—and perhaps most controversial—electoral reform in a decade
