Mike Igini, former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has disclosed that as far back as 2018, a joint INEC and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) committee reported 93% telecommunications coverage across Nigeria’s polling units.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Igini said INEC had already completed much of the technical groundwork for electronic transmission of election results. Polling units were mapped to specific network providers, and the commission incurred significant costs in preparation — insisting that “the commission was ready.”
His comments came amidst claims by the Nigerian Senate that poor network coverage makes electronic transmission impractical.
However, Igini explained that the main obstacle was legal, not technical.
Section 52 of the 2010 Electoral Act prohibited electronic processes in elections.
Although INEC requested the National Assembly to amend the provision in 2012, the request was rejected effectively stalling reform.
Looking ahead to 2027, Igini warned that inconsistencies between House and Senate amendments on electronic transmission could create confusion and fuel post-election disputes if not clearly resolved.
He also stressed the need to give the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) explicit legal backing.
According to him, results uploaded to IREV should form part of the statutory electoral record, and where discrepancies arise, the electronically uploaded version should prevail to safeguard credibility.
Igini said that the judiciary will ultimately determine whether electoral reforms strengthen democracy or deepen instability, depending on how electoral laws are interpreted and upheld.
