Utomi, Ezekwesili, Falana Condemn Senate’s Removal of E-Transmission Clause in Electoral Bill
A coalition of civil society leaders under the banner of the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) has strongly criticised the Senate’s decision to remove the provision for mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026.
The group, which includes prominent figures such as Professor Pat Utomi, Dr Oby Ezekwesili and human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), called on the Senate to urgently reinstate the clause, warning that its removal threatens transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s electoral process.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja and signed by its Media Coordinator, Comrade James Ezema, MCE described the Senate’s action as a setback for democratic accountability, arguing that electronic transmission of results is a basic safeguard against electoral manipulation.
According to the coalition, rejecting mandatory electronic transmission exposes election outcomes to interference between polling units and collation centres, thereby encouraging result tampering, ballot alteration and post-election fraud.
MCE further accused lawmakers of choosing secrecy over openness, noting that the decision undermines Nigerians’ right to freely elect their leaders.
The group said there was no credible justification for opposing electronic transmission other than fear of transparent and verifiable election outcomes.
The coalition warned that continued resistance to technological transparency could deepen voter apathy and weaken public confidence in elections ahead of the 2027 polls.
It also expressed concern that flawed electoral processes have encouraged impunity and shifted the burden of resolving electoral disputes to the courts.
MCE stressed that it is a non-partisan citizens’ platform comprising youth groups, women, professionals, workers, civil society organisations and Nigerians in the diaspora, united by the goal of ensuring that every vote counts.
The group demanded that the National Assembly not only restore and pass the electronic transmission provision but also publicly disclose lawmakers who opposed the clause, insisting they must account to Nigerians for their legislative decisions.
As part of its response, MCE announced plans to stage a mass protest tagged Occupy NASS on Monday, February 9, 2026, in Abuja, calling on citizens and international observers to resist what it described as attempts to return the country to opaque, manual election practices.
The coalition also advocated additional safeguards, including a voter-verifiable paper audit trail, to ensure electronically transmitted results align with records at polling units, stressing that credible elections remain essential to Nigeria’s democratic survival.
