By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) says the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of election results will create room for disputes, undermine public confidence in elections, and fuel post-election litigation.
The was contained in an executive report presented by the NBA President, Afam Osigwe, at the association’s NEC meeting held in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Thursday, February 5.
Osigwe told the council that the Senate had rejected a proposed amendment to the Electoral Amendment Bill seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit polling unit results in real time.
The NBA president described the decision as a setback to electoral transparency and democratic accountability.
He said: “Yesterday, the Senate rejected a proposed change to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill aimed at compelling the electronic transmission of election results.”
According to him, the rejected amendment would have required INEC presiding officers to upload polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) immediately after Form EC8A had been signed and stamped.
Osigwe said the Senate, however, opted to retain the existing provision of the Electoral Act, which allows results to be transmitted “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”
The NBA NEC resolved after deliberations that the National Assembly should revisit the decision and explicitly mandate the electronic transmission of election results.
The report read: “The NBA NEC resolved that the National Assembly should vote in favour of the proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill aimed at compelling the electronic transmission of election results.”
The NBA warned that failure to clearly provide for electronic transmission would continue to create room for disputes, undermine public confidence in elections, and fuel post-election litigation.
The NEC also condemned the worsening security situation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), citing the tragic incidents involving a nurse and a lawyer in the hands of deadly “one-chance” robberies.
It said, “In separate but equally tragic incidents, Ms Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, a nurse, and Princess Chigbo Mediatrix, our colleague, a lawyer and former Treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja Branch, lost their lives after falling victim to this deadly criminal enterprise.
“These were not faceless victims. They were professionals, contributors to society and ordinary citizens whose only intention was to return safely from their daily engagements.”
Osigwe described the murder of the Abuja-based lawyer as deeply personal to the association, noting that her death underscored the vulnerability of citizens, including legal practitioners.
The NBA condemned the killings and called for thorough investigations and the prosecution of all those involved in the killings.
