The Obedient Movement, a political group aligned with former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, has criticised the passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, saying the absence of an electronic transmission of results clause in the final text is indicative of broader concerns about the electoral reform process.
The group’s comments were made in Abuja in response to the National Assembly’s actions during consideration of the bill.
In a statement to Vanguard, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, noted that although the Senate passed the Electoral Act amendment bill, it did not approve a specific provision that would have mandated electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing (IREV) portal.
Tanko said the group views the omission of the electronic transmission clause as a setback for reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and public trust in elections, a reform measure that has been championed by various stakeholders as central to improving electoral credibility.
The bill, as passed, retains existing language on result transmission without the express mandatory electronic requirement originally proposed during clause‑by‑clause consideration.
He said the initiative to include an electronic transmission requirement was motivated by the goal of reducing human interference in the result collation process, particularly in remote or manual collation centres.
Tanko emphasised that proponents regard this reform as critical to enhancing the integrity of result management in future elections.
The Obedient Movement’s comments reflect ongoing public and political debate over the content of the Electoral Act amendment, especially on provisions relating to electronic result transmission, which have attracted attention in recent legislative sessions and media coverage.
Observers and political actors have flagged the transmission issue as a central component of broader electoral reform discussions in Nigeria, including debates over how best to integrate technological measures into legal frameworks governing elections.
The Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill is part of the National Assembly’s legislative process ahead of the 2027 general elections, with multiple provisions under consideration as lawmakers weigh reforms to election administration and accountability ahead of the next electoral cycle.
