Akpabio Defends Senate’s Stance on Electronic Election Results as Mark Calls for INEC’s Autonomy

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has clarified the Senate’s position on electronic transmission of election results, stating it was not rejected but that the term “real-time” was removed due to concerns over network failures. He argued this provides INEC flexibility amid technological and security challenges.

In response, former Senate President David Mark asserted that the National Assembly should not speak for INEC, stating that if the electoral body cannot transmit results electronically, “it’s their own problem.” The debate follows public backlash after the Senate recently voted against making real-time e-transmission mandatory.

Key Points:

Voters are left with continued uncertainty about the transparency and speed of future election results.
Retaining manual collation as the primary method may increase operational costs and dispute risks.
INEC’s operational independence becomes a point of contention between legislative oversight and executive function.
The debate reflects a fundamental tension between technological ambition and practical governance realities.
The disagreement occurs during a critical amendment process ahead of the next general election cycle.

The exchange underscores a pivotal conflict over who determines the technical standards for electoral integrity: the lawmakers or the election management body.

Sources: The Cable, Channels TV