- the amendment is a historic step toward increasing transparency
- The senator also reassured the public that the amendment strengthens election integrity
- He concluded by urging Nigerians to support the initiative
Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, representing Ebonyi North, has defended the Senate’s recent amendment to the Electoral Act, emphasizing that the electronic transmission of election results from polling units to INEC’s Results Viewing Portal (iREV) is now compulsory, leaving no discretion for presiding officers.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Eko Hot Blog gathered that Nwaebonyi highlighted that the 10th Senate, under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, formally included electronic transmission in the law for the first time, granting the courts the authority to recognize results uploaded to iREV.
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“Previously, the Electoral Act made no mention of electronic transmission or iREV. The 9th Senate never addressed it,” Nwaebonyi said. “Now, Section 60, Subsection 3, states that after collating the votes, the presiding officer shall enter the results into iREV. That word ‘shall’ makes it mandatory. There is no room for discretion, and this step ensures transparency.”
He further explained that in cases of technical failure or network issues, the results recorded on the standard EC8A form would still be valid.
“If electronic transmission fails temporarily, the system records the attempt, but the results remain official. Security personnel and polling unit agents ensure the process is conducted openly,” Nwaebonyi added.
According to the senator, the amendment is a historic step toward increasing transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s elections.
“For the first time, results from all polling units must be sent electronically. This responds to long-standing demands from Nigerians who want a fair and transparent electoral process,” he said.
He compared network delays to banking transactions, explaining that temporary issues do not invalidate the outcome.
“Just as money may take time to reflect in your account but the transfer is valid, results transmitted electronically remain legitimate, even if they appear on iREV with some delay,” Nwaebonyi said.
The senator also reassured the public that the amendment strengthens election integrity and prevents manipulation.
“Courts will now rely on iREV as an official source of results, which cannot be easily tampered with. The system also ensures that discrepancies between accredited voters and votes cast are flagged, allowing collation officers to act appropriately,” he said.
He concluded by urging Nigerians to support the initiative, stating, “We have taken a bold step to make electronic transmission mandatory. This guarantees that results are free, fair, and transparent. Opposition concerns about network issues have been addressed. What matters now is patriotism over politics.”
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