Cancel Elections Where Results Are Not Electronically Transmitted — Okonkwo Tells Senate

African Democratic Congress (ADC) leader Kenneth Okonkwo has called on the Senate to remove provisions allowing manual transmission of election results, insisting that votes must be sent directly from polling units to prevent manipulation.

Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Tuesday, the actor-turned-politician said any polling officer should remain at their station until results are transmitted electronically. He added that elections should be annulled if electronic transmission fails.

“The House of Representatives should go further to say that where it is not possible to transmit from the polling unit, that election should be cancelled,” Okonkwo said. He emphasized that the integrity of elections is critical, arguing that fraudulent results have hindered Nigeria’s development.

Okonkwo linked the country’s slow progress to repeated electoral irregularities and called on citizens to actively defend democratic governance, stressing that democracy belongs to the people, not any party.

His comments follow last week’s passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, in which the Senate initially rejected a proposal for real-time electronic transmission of results, leaving discretion with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The decision sparked protests and criticism from opposition groups.

In response, the Senate revised the bill on Tuesday, approving electronic transmission without the real-time requirement and allowing Form EC8A to serve as the official record where internet connectivity is poor. A committee was also established to reconcile differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill after widespread public concern.