Speaker Abbas defends hybrid results transmission, explains Electoral Act changes

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has defended the National Assembly’s decision to adopt both electronic and manual transmission of election results in the amended Electoral Act, describing the approach as a practical safeguard against voter exclusion and declining participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abbas said lawmakers opted for a hybrid model after considering Nigeria’s technological and infrastructural realities, particularly limited internet access and unreliable electricity supply across large parts of the country.

He spoke on Sunday while receiving Spain’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Felix Costales, during a courtesy visit to his office at the National Assembly complex in Abuja. The meeting was also attended by Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Bichi; Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Wole Oke; and Chairman of the Nigeria-China Parliamentary Friendship Group, Jafaru Yakubu.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, the Spanish envoy noted that Spain similarly permits manual transmission of election results within its system.

Abbas expressed confidence that the 2027 general elections would be more transparent and inclusive, citing his consultations with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Addressing concerns over the amendments, the Speaker cautioned against what he described as exaggerated criticism.

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On the Electoral Act, the Speaker said,”Sometimes, people scream far beyond the exact level of the issue. A lot of people think that we need to embrace electronic transmission in real-time in Nigeria, but within the very little period that you’ve been in Nigeria, you should be able to speak on the quality of our internet network. You should know that even in advanced cities like Abuja, you are not guaranteed stable internet services all the time.”

He continued, “Based on the NCC report, they said Nigeria is still underserved by almost 40 per cent, which means 40 per cent of territories at large in Nigeria are not covered by the internet. Now, tell me, for those who are saying we should go ahead and do that, already, if you look at the number of our registered voters in this country, it is alarming.

“It is sad to say that even with the manual arrangement we are using, we are only able to capture about 12-15 per cent of registered voters who, after every four years, come to vote. That’s voter apathy. Very few people go out to vote.”

According to Abbas, relying solely on electronic transmission could deepen voter apathy and disenfranchise millions in underserved communities.

“Now, if we are to introduce only the electronic system, it will further reduce the number because 40 per cent of the country will probably not be able to vote as they don’t have adequate internet services. It means what we should be expecting is not only disenfranchising the voters—denying some people the right to vote—we will also record, perhaps, the lowest number of voters in the next elections.

“These are all avoidable. That is why we said, in our wisdom, the Electoral Act should be hybrid—a combination of both the manual and electronic systems. Where it is feasible to use the electronic transmission, use the electronic transmission; where it is not possible, use the manual, because there is no way one form, particularly the electronic, can be used entirely in all parts of the country for the elections.”

The Speaker further argued that critics of the amendment were fully aware of Nigeria’s structural limitations.

“The opposition, even though they know the truth—are Nigerians, they live in Nigeria, they travel all over Nigeria—they know that the level of internet penetration in Nigeria is inadequate. There is no way you will be able to have transparent elections using an inadequate system, and through our energy crisis in the country as well, we do not have enough electricity.

“The internet is always backed by energy. How do you power the entire country on the day of the election to have phones that are working and internet that is working, backed by adequate electricity? All those are challenges that, for now, will not be able to provide us the opportunity to do transmission in real time online.”

Describing democracy as an evolving system, Abbas maintained that reforms would continue incrementally.

“In our entire democracy, we will continue to improve year after year, election after election. I believe Nigeria, with the support of countries like Spain, will do better.

“We expect you to continue to guide us and give us all the technical advice and support to do better, particularly in the National Assembly, through collaboration between your country and our parliament. It will go a long way in strengthening our competence, particularly in areas of legislative drafting and so on. I believe that with what you have in Spain, Nigeria can benefit a lot.”

He added, “You cannot say you have everything that you require. You keep on learning. We believe that Nigeria is not doing badly, even though it may not be at the rate that the international community would want to see, but we are moving slowly and gradually.”

Earlier, Costales said his visit aimed to deepen legislative diplomacy and strengthen bilateral relations between Spain and Nigeria, adding that Spain would follow Nigeria’s electoral process closely and assist efforts to bolster democratic institutions.

“You can count on us—whatever we can do to deepen Nigerian democracy. Yes, there may be challenges, but you can count on us in any way possible.”

The ambassador also observed that political polarisation is not unique to Nigeria.

“Sometimes when you dig down, you realise that the issues are not that big, or not as big as they seem in the public discourse. It happens a lot in Spain… At the end of the day, if you want to move forward in democracy, you have to reach some level of compromise. We have to try to rule and govern on the level of ”

Recently, President Bola Tinubu signed the amended Electoral Act into law following its passage by the National Assembly. The revised legislation clarifies the legal framework for transmitting election results, permitting both electronic and manual methods depending on available infrastructure and operational feasibility.

While supporters describe the hybrid model as a realistic response to on-ground challenges, critics warn that its success will depend heavily on transparent implementation and vigilant monitoring ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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