A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Nigeria Integrity Watch (NIW), has warned that making real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory could disenfranchise millions of voters in rural and insecure parts of the country. Speaking at a book launch on the burden of legislators in Nigeria, Akpabio explained that electronic transmission remains permissible under the law, but that insisting on real-time transmission could create legal and logistical challenges. Reacting to the development in a statement on Tuesday, NIW described the push for mandatory real-time transmission as a looming “democratic emergency,” citing Nigeria’s weak digital and power infrastructure. NIW also raised concerns over Nigeria’s unstable power supply, noting that frequent national grid collapses could disrupt elections mid-process if electronic transmission becomes compulsory. NIW urged civil society groups and policymakers to focus on infrastructure readiness, calling on the Nigerian Communications Commission and telecommunications operators to ensure nationwide internet coverage before pushing for mandatory real-time transmission of election results.

Source: Nigerian Tribune February 08, 2026 19:06 UTC