Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
A group on the platform of Connected Advocacy – the South-south partner on the Youth Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija), has expressed its resentment on the decision by the national assembly to throw aside the Mandatory Transmission of Election Results in Real-Time, describing the act, a betrayal of Nigerians trust.
The Executive Director, Connected Advocacy and Coordinator Youth Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija) South-south, Prince Israel Orekha, disclosed this while addressing Journalists in Benin.
He said due to the irregularities that greeted the 2023 general elections in the country, Nigerians, in unionism, admitted that something must be done to nip such a recurrence in the bud.
Prince Orekha disclosed that one of the ways to mitigate electoral fraud, through the Mandatory Transmission of Election Results in Real-Time, but surprisingly, it is gradually being swept under the carpet.
According to him,”The proposal to amend the Electoral Act to ensure the Mandatory Transmission of Election Results in Real-Time is the most desired and supported electoral reform issue by youth and other citizens in the south-south geo-political zone and Nigeria at large.
“We know this first-hand because the YERP-Naija Campaign consulted youth in all 36 states of the federation and the FCT through surveys and face to face engagements.
“We attended all of the public hearings by the Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters and the Senate and House Constitutional Review Committees.
“Nigerian youth and other citizens spoke out during all of these fora in clear and unmistakable terms, saying “Give Us Mandatory Electronic Transmission of Election Results in Real-Time” to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
“How did we get here? We got here following the widespread dissatisfaction with the process of the 2023 general elections, where INEC failed to electronically transmit presidential election results in real-time as they were partially empowered to do by the 2022 Electoral Act, and more specifically by their guide lines.
“The judgements by election petitions tribunals and appellate courts saying because Electronic Transmission of Election Results in Real-Time was not specifically mentioned in the 2022 Electoral Act but INEC guideline, it could not be a basis to decide if elections were in conformity with the law, pushed many Nigerians to simply say, “Then Put It in the Law.”
“This request was loudly communicated across the country by youth and others. We believe that is why the House of Representatives passed it in December, 2025”.
Orekha pointed out that the South-south youths and others across Nigeria feel deeply betrayed by the position of the National Assembly to retain the vague 2022 Electoral Act provision that simply says it is up to INEC to determine ways to “transfer” election results.
The coordinator of the group stressed that it is worthy to note that giving such powers to an electoral body that does not currently inspire public confidence, could lead to greater public mistrust and apathy.
He said they are also concerned about the prolonged delays in the passage of both the Electoral Act and constitutional amendment bills that seek to strengthen the electoral process.
He however called on youth across the south-south and Nigeria at large to reach out to their legislators on the importance of including the Mandatory Transmission of Election Results in Real-Time, as passed by the House of Representatives in the Electoral Act
He also called on the senators and members of the House of Representatives in Edo state, across the South-South and Nigeria at large, to stand with their constituents, standing with their constituents means voting for the Mandatory Transmission of Election Results in Real-Time as earlier passed by the House of Representatives.
He respectfully called on the National Assembly to immediately pass the constitutional amendment bills that have been under legislative consideration in the last two years.
