BY UCHECHI OKPORIE
As Nigeria moves closer to its 2027 general election, concerns are mounting internationally about legal uncertainty that could undermine the credibility of the country’s voting process.
Central to these worries is deep ambiguity in the Electoral Act 2022, especially around how votes are counted and results are transmitted.
Originally touted as a major democratic reform, the Electoral Act 2022 promised to use technology to safeguard the integrity of elections.
But critics point out that Nigeria’s Senate did not clearly require real-time electronic transmission of results from polling stations a transparency measure many reformers believe is essential.
Instead, the current law allows discretionary interpretation by the electoral commission, creating space for confusion and dispute.
This lack of precision has serious implications. In the 2023 elections, voter accreditation machines were used, yet the absence of a clear legal mandate for real-time result transmission fueled disagreement and helped shift contested outcomes into the courts rather than keeping them transparent for the public.
Analysts warn that vague language in electoral law isn’t neutrality it’s a loophole that weakens accountability and opens the door to manipulation, legal wrangling and public distrust.
Other unresolved issues from electoral violence to weak punishment for offences and party primaries that undermine internal democracy add to the fragility of Nigeria’s democratic institutions as a pivotal election approaches.
Observers say that for Nigeria’s democracy to be taken seriously on the global stage, the Senate must revise the law so that it explicitly mandates instant electronic transmission of results from polling units via accredited technology, and removes every clause that allows ambiguity.
Without this clarity, Nigeria risks repeating controversies that erode confidence in the electoral process both at home and abroad.
