—– Encourages civil society groups and citizens to continue advocating for transparent electoral processes.
A Public Affairs Analyst and Member, Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter, Dr. Chukwudi Anyianuka, made this known while speaking on a topic “State of the Nation,” on Freedom Square, a programme on Solid FM, 100.9, anchored by Uchenna Cyril Anioke.
Dr. Anyianuka, called on the National Assembly of Nigeria to urgently make electronic transmission of election results mandatory in the country’s electoral laws.
Dr. Anyianuka stressed that relying solely on manual collation of results creates loopholes for manipulation, delays, and loss of public confidence in the democratic process.
According to him, “the BVAS does not need to be connected to the Internet for it to work. It can work offline and capture exactly the time when the photograph of the results is taken on a particular polling booth. We saw it happen in 2023, people will be there also using their own phones to take images of this results. So if those pictures are taken at 12:15pm for instance, it will register in the BVAS that the pictures were taken at 12:15pm. It may not be able to be transmitted at that time. Even if it is transmitted 5 hours later, it will still read 12:15pm. In my view, I think the Senate knows what they are doing, so even with the adjustments, why did they go with no electronic transmission at the first time. Most Nigerians are agitating that they want electronic transmission of results, we want it to be captured in the law so that it will be very clear.”
He stated that technology-driven result transmission would promote credibility, speed, and accountability in elections, noting that many democracies across the world have adopted electronic systems to reduce human interference and ensure that results from polling units reflect the true will of voters.
“Making electronic transmission mandatory is no longer optional; it is a democratic necessity. Our elections must evolve with technology to protect the people’s mandate,” he said.
Dr. Anyianuka therefore, urged lawmakers to rise above partisan interests and prioritize reforms that would strengthen electoral integrity ahead of future polls.
The call adds to growing public pressure on lawmakers to modernize Nigeria’s electoral framework and restore trust in the nation’s voting system.