Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, has argued that mandating electronic transmission of election results will not automatically ensure credible elections in Nigeria.
Sani made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television, reacting to public backlash over the senate’s decision not to make real-time electronic transmission compulsory in the amended Electoral Act.
The controversy has sparked protests in Abuja, with tensions spilling into the national assembly. Both the senate and the house of representatives witnessed heated exchanges on Tuesday, with some lawmakers staging a walkout during plenary.
Addressing the debate, Sani said while technology can improve transparency, it cannot replace integrity and political commitment.
According to him, individuals intent on subverting the process would still find ways to exploit weaknesses, regardless of whether results are transmitted electronically.
“If we are interested in election techniques, that does not mean that when we have electronic transfer of results there will be no manipulation. It all depends on what we want to do as a country with our electoral system,” Sani said.
He stressed that electoral malpractice in Nigeria is often driven by human behaviour, pointing to voter inducement as a recurring problem that technology alone cannot solve. In his view, an excessive focus on digital solutions risks overlooking deeper structural and ethical issues within the system.
The former lawmaker clarified that he supports electronic transmission but believes the legal framework should accommodate manual collation in cases of technical failure.
“Election takes place in one day and it is expected that results will be transmitted the same day,” he said.
“If there is no provision for an alternative, what becomes of it? Do we wait for the next day, two days, three days?”
Sani also warned against adopting rigid standards that may prove unrealistic, noting that even technologically advanced nations encounter difficulties with seamless nationwide electronic result transmission.
“I think we should do what is practical. If it is difficult for even the most advanced nations to electronically transfer all their results, why do we want to force that on ourselves to that level?” Sani asked.
“But the central point is that we say there should be electronic transfer of results and where there is a glitch or failure, we go to the manual. There should not be anything wrong with that.”
