By Dennis Okechukwu
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has criticised the Senate for rejecting proposals to make real-time electronic transmission of election results and digital voter identification mandatory.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, and National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye, Afenifere described the Senate’s decision as a betrayal of constitutionalism and multiparty democracy, accusing lawmakers of prioritising political incumbency over electoral integrity.
The group was reacting to the passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 by the Senate on February 4, 2026.
Afenifere argued that by refusing to mandate electronic transmission of results, the Senate had deliberately preserved manual processes that are vulnerable to manipulation and post-election disputes. It noted that leaving the process to the discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) undermines the constitutional requirement for free, fair, and credible elections.
The organisation also faulted the rejection of proposals for downloadable electronic voter cards with QR codes, saying the continued reliance on physical Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) could disenfranchise voters and runs contrary to global best practices in electoral administration.
According to Afenifere, many democracies have embraced verifiable electronic voting and result transmission systems to improve transparency and public trust, adding that Nigeria should not lag behind.
The group urged the joint committee of the National Assembly to harmonise the Senate and House of Representatives versions of the bill by adopting mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that failure to do so could further erode public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.