The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined to comment on the controversy surrounding the Senate’s Electoral Act amendment, particularly the clause on real-time electronic transmission of election results. Adedayo Oketola, chief press secretary to INEC chairman Joash Amupitan, said that the commission will not comment until the legislative process is finalised, stating: “The amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 is still an ongoing process.”
The controversy began February 4 when the Senate rejected mandatory real-time transmission, retaining discretionary electronic transfer. Following protests led by Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi, the Senate held an emergency plenary on February 10, approving electronic transmission but with a manual fallback clause where technology fails. The House of Representatives has adopted mandatory real-time transmission. Both chambers now face harmonisation.
Key Points:
INEC’s silence leaves voters and civil society without clarity on the commission’s technical capacity ahead of 2027.
It sustains public uncertainty about whether real-time transmission is feasible or a political bargaining chip.
The commission preserves institutional neutrality, while stakeholders lack critical information for informed advocacy.
This signals deference to legislative supremacy over independent technical assessment and public communication.
The timing, mid-harmonisation, reflects strategic avoidance of influencing a live political process.
INEC’s position defers resolution to the National Assembly, after which the commission must implement whatever framework emerges from harmonisation.
Sources: TheCable, INEC, National Assembly