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Nigerian Guild of Editors says lawmakers risking voter trust.
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It urges National Assembly to mandate real-time transmission
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has raised serious concerns over the position of the Senate on the transmission of election results, warning that any ambiguity ahead of the 2027 general elections could undermine public confidence and weaken Nigeria’s democratic process.
The Editors said the controversy generated by the Senate’s adoption of provisions in the proposed Electoral Act, which allow election results to be transmitted electronically without making the process mandatory and immediate, was already breeding mistrust among Nigerians.
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In a statement signed by the President of the Guild, Eze Anaba, and the General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, and dated February 9, 2026, the Editors cautioned that the development could discourage voter participation if not urgently addressed.
The statement reads partly:
“The Nigerian Guild of Editors has expressed deep concern over the controversy surrounding the Senate’s position on the transmission of election results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This development is already creating room for doubt and mistrust in the electoral process among Nigerians.
The uncertainty arising from the Senate’s adoption of provisions in the proposed 2022 Electoral Act—allowing for the transmission of election results without making it mandatory and immediate—runs contrary to the widely held position of most Nigerians and many lawmakers.
The resulting public outrage has pitted citizens against the Senate and could potentially discourage voter participation in future elections.”
The Editors noted that the Senate’s stance was at variance with growing public demand for transparency and accountability in the conduct of elections, especially at a time when Nigerians are calling for mandatory and immediate transmission of results from polling units to central collation centres.
They observed that many countries across the world have embraced electronic transmission of election results as a core element of electoral reform, aimed at strengthening credibility, improving efficiency and enhancing public trust in democratic institutions.
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According to the Guild, the Senate’s decision represents a missed opportunity to reinforce transparency in Nigeria’s electoral process and could undermine ongoing efforts to deepen democratic governance.
The Editors stressed that mandatory electronic transmission of election results has become a global best practice for improving electoral credibility and reducing disputes arising from manual collation.
They urged the National Assembly, as it reconvenes to harmonise the positions of the Senate and the House of Representatives, to seize the opportunity to align Nigeria’s electoral laws with contemporary democratic Standards.
The Guild maintained that making the transmission of results mandatory and immediate would lay a solid foundation for free, fair and credible elections, while restoring public confidence in the electoral system.
They further argued that digitalising elections through real-time transmission of results would enhance transparency, accuracy and efficiency, while significantly reducing election-related controversies and fraud.
The Editors said Nigerians were closely monitoring the actions of the National Assembly and expressed hope that lawmakers would rise to the occasion by approving mandatory and immediate transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s central servers and collation centres.
They warned that any outcome short of this would place Nigeria out of step with progressive electoral practices and further erode trust in the democratic process.
According to the Guild, only a clear commitment to compulsory real-time transmission of results can guarantee that votes truly count and strengthen confidence in future elections.
