A former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mike Igini, is warning that a controversial proviso in the proposed Electoral Act Amendment Bill could significantly affect the political future of many federal lawmakers ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a message addressed to members of the National Assembly, Igini argues that weakening mandatory real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results may expose legislators to the same electoral vulnerabilities that cost many of their predecessors re-election.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the former electoral commissioner urges senators and members of the House of Representatives to carefully reconsider any clause that qualifies or limits direct electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, popularly known as IReV. He stresses that Nigerians overwhelmingly demand transparent, real-time result uploads to safeguard votes and prevent manipulation during collation.
Igini notes that as the National Assembly harmonises differing versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, lawmakers face a defining institutional moment. He maintains that past assemblies failed to close loopholes in electoral laws, particularly around result transmission and collation processes, which later worked against many incumbents when they lost party nominations or fell out of favour with powerful political actors.
As reported by Mediaplusng.com, Igini presents empirical data from electoral cycles spanning 2007 to 2023, arguing that a significant number of incumbent legislators who were denied party tickets by governors or party leaders and later contested on alternative platforms ultimately lost due to manipulation at collation centres. He asserts that even where such candidates secured strong grassroots support and won at polling units, weaknesses in the collation framework undermined their victories.
The warning comes as the 10th National Assembly continues deliberations on electoral reforms. Igini cautions that lawmakers who are not in the “good books” of their state governors or party leadership may face similar risks in 2027 if electronic transmission is not made mandatory and insulated from interference. According to him, constituency popularity alone may not guarantee victory without credible, publicly verifiable polling unit results.
Further analysis obtained by Mediaplusng.com shows that legislative turnover in Nigeria remains consistently high across multiple electoral cycles. Igini argues that this pattern reflects systemic vulnerabilities in the electoral framework rather than mere voter dissatisfaction. He describes the trend as institutional instability that weakens democratic consolidation.
In the Senate, turnover rates remain strikingly high over the past two decades. Between 2007 and 2011, only 23 out of 109 senators return, reflecting a 79 percent turnover. From 2011 to 2015, 36 senators are re-elected, marking a 67 percent turnover. Between 2015 and 2019, 39 senators return, producing a 64 percent turnover. The 2019 to 2023 cycle records 45 re-elections, translating to 59 percent turnover. However, the current 10th Senate sees a sharp reversal, with only 25 returning senators and 84 new entrants — a 77 percent turnover rate.
A similar pattern emerges in the House of Representatives. Between 2007 and 2011, only 80 out of 360 members secure re-election, representing a 78 percent turnover. From 2011 to 2015, 100 members return, yielding 72 percent turnover. The 2015 to 2019 period records 110 returnees and a 69.4 percent turnover. The 2019 to 2023 House sees the lowest attrition in the period, with 151 members re-elected, amounting to 57 percent turnover. However, the present House records renewed instability, with only 109 returning members and 251 new entrants — a 70 percent turnover rate.
Igini argues that such chronic attrition breeds institutional amnesia, weakens legislative oversight, drains public resources through continuous induction and retraining, and disrupts continuity in lawmaking. He links this instability to vulnerabilities during the collation of polling unit results, where credible evidence of local support may not be effectively protected without secure electronic transmission.
The former commissioner insists that real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to IReV is not merely a technological upgrade but a democratic safeguard. He maintains that publicly viewable results deter tampering and provide legally defensible proof of constituency endorsement.
Igini also addresses concerns about network infrastructure. He states that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, is designed to function both online and offline, with queued uploads automatically transmitted once connectivity is restored. He references surveys conducted before 2023 indicating over 97 percent 2G and 3G network coverage nationwide, which, he says, supports successful electronic transmission in more than 100 off-cycle elections.
Reflecting on past experience, Igini recalls that as a resident electoral commissioner in Cross River State during the tenure of former INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, the commission successfully piloted real-time electronic transmission during a governorship election. He argues that technical feasibility is no longer in doubt and that legislative clarity is now the key issue.
He further references constitutional provisions granting the Independent National Electoral Commission regulatory authority to issue guidelines and manage its procedures. According to him, any legislative proviso that weakens direct transmission risks undermining both constitutional intent and electoral integrity.
Igini concludes by urging the National Assembly to remove any qualifying clause that could dilute mandatory real-time electronic transmission. He also calls on the judiciary to uphold the spirit of electoral reforms and avoid interpretations that weaken transparency mechanisms.
As Nigeria approaches another electoral cycle, the debate over electronic transmission remains central to discussions about democratic accountability, legislative independence, and electoral transparency. The former commissioner’s message frames the issue not only as a public demand for credible elections but also as a matter of political survival for lawmakers seeking re-election in 2027.
With legislative turnover consistently averaging between 60 and 70 percent across both chambers, Igini warns that history may repeat itself if systemic loopholes persist. His appeal underscores a broader call for electoral reforms that strengthen democracy, protect votes at the polling unit level, and ensure that constituency mandates are accurately reflected in final results.
