The initiator and National Convener of the National Electoral Reform Coalition (NERCO), Mr. Chinedu Oaks Ukpola, has raised fresh concerns over the handling of electoral reform legislation, alleging that political manoeuvring and misinformation influenced public perception of the Senate’s position on electronic transmission of election results.
Ukpola made the remarks during an interview at the Landslide News studio in Wuye, Abuja. The programme was hosted by Kingsley Okiemoya, with Kingsley Okafor serving as a discussant.
According to Ukpola, NERCO emerged after he carefully reviewed the conduct of the last general elections and the series of court cases that followed. He said the experience highlighted structural gaps in Nigeria’s electoral process and reinforced the need for organised reform advocacy.
He explained that his group had been working on a structured engagement plan aimed at influencing policy and legislative reform through dialogue and consultation. He noted that while the initiative shares similarities with other civic movements focused on legislative accountability, its design centres on advocacy and lobbying rather than protest action. As part of this approach, he said he had engaged lawmakers, traditional leaders, and other stakeholders to build support for reforms.
On the electoral amendment bill, Ukpola traced what he described as a prolonged and interrupted legislative process. He said the Senate had attempted to deliberate on the bill several times but postponed discussions due to competing priorities, including urgent national matters that required immediate legislative attention.
He further alleged that political strategy played a role in the delays, suggesting that some actors used the time to consolidate support among senators as debate intensified over the inclusion of electronic transmission of results.
Ukpola maintained that more than 90 per cent of senators were in support of electronic transmission. However, he said lawmakers were reluctant to adopt full digital voting due to concerns about potential hacking risks. This, he explained, was why electronic transmission of results — rather than complete electronic voting — emerged as the preferred compromise.
He also alleged that misleading reports circulated before the Senate concluded deliberations, creating the impression that electronic transmission had been rejected. According to him, this narrative spread widely before lawmakers even exited the chamber.
Reading from Section 60 of the bill, Ukpola argued that electronic transmission of results was clearly provided for without exception at the time of passage. He claimed that public reactions triggered by the circulating reports later created pressure that resulted in adjustments to the provision, including the introduction of a subsection outlining procedures if electronic transmission fails.
He warned that public response based on incomplete or inaccurate information can shape legislative outcomes in unintended ways, describing the episode as an example of how political communication can influence policy direction.
Ukpola said the House of Representatives also addressed electronic transmission within its legislative provisions, reinforcing the centrality of the issue to Nigeria’s electoral reform debate.
He concluded by urging Nigerians to engage more critically with information relating to electoral reforms and legislative decisions, stressing that informed civic participation remains essential to strengthening democratic processes.
