Why is APC Afraid of e-Transmission of Election Results?
The rejection of the real-time electronic transmission of election results by the National Assembly dominated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Electoral Amendment Bill 2026 is an indication that the same party that demanded e-voting in the 2015 elections is afraid of the possible outcome of 2027 general election.
Since the rejection, posts have been resurfacing online on how the then opposition party in 2013, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led by the incumbent President Bola Tinubu, demanded that Nigeria should embrace electronic voting in order to ensure the integrity of its elections. Recall that The ACN later metamorphosed into the APC.
In one of the statements issued by the then National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN declared that with electronic voting, the overall cost of elections will be less and there will be stability in the polity.
Referring to the overwhelming deployment of security operatives during elections, the party added that the atmosphere of war usually associated with elections would disappear and the involvement of the security agencies will be de-emphasised.
Admitting that Section 52 (2) of the Electoral Act bans the use of electronic voting for the time being, the ACN urged the National Assembly to move quickly to amend that part of the law while it called on the federal government to provide INEC with all the resources needed to make electronic voting a reality.
The party demanded that elections be handed over to Nigerians to decide instead of the judiciary.
It is unfortunate that about 13 years after, the APC and President Tinubu do not support electronic transmission of results, an innovative system meant to enhance credible elections.
Despite all the agitations, APC-dominated National Assembly did not accede to the yearnings of the people.
It is surprising that the same APC that recently conducted e-Registration for its members, and has 31 state governors and highest number of lawmakers in the National Assembly is afraid of electronic transmission of election results.
