By, Oyamhenbalor Naomi
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nyesom Wike, on Monday accused the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of double standards over the controversy surrounding the electronic transmission of election results.
Speaking during a media chat, Wike alleged that, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Amaechi and other political figures opposed the signing of legislation allowing the electronic transmission of results, claiming they feared it could cost them elections. He questioned why the same individuals are now criticising the 2026 Electoral Act recently signed by President Bola Tinubu.
Wike maintained that the new law does not abolish electronic transmission but introduces a manual back-up option in cases of network failure to prevent voter disenfranchisement in areas with poor connectivity.
Government officials have defended the hybrid system. Vanguard News reported that the Presidency dismissed opposition criticisms as unwarranted outrage, stating that the combination of electronic and manual transmission reflects Nigeria’s infrastructural realities.
Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, defended the approach, noting that many parts of the country still lack reliable internet access and a stable power supply, making exclusive reliance on electronic systems impractical.
Civil society organisations have also weighed in. According to The Whistler Newspaper, YIAGA Africa criticised lawmakers for retaining the manual fallback provision, describing it as a missed opportunity to strengthen electoral transparency and reform.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sought to reassure Nigerians about the integrity of electronic transmission. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, pledged improvements to the commission’s technological systems, assuring that technical challenges experienced in previous elections would not recur in 2027.
However, opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigerian Peoples Party, have argued that the manual back-up weakens transparency and could create room for manipulation. They have called for further amendments to remove what they described as “anti-democratic” provisions.
The debate also extends to the Act’s provision for direct primaries, which Wike said would reduce the influence of powerful party elites. Critics, however, warned that the process could present logistical difficulties.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the Electoral Act has once again become a focal point of political debate, highlighting broader concerns over technology, transparency, and public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process
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