By Muhammad Mamman
The Rescue Nigeria Alliance has warned the Nigerian Senate to urgently reinstate mandatory real-time electronic transmission of polling-unit results in the amended Electoral Act, threatening sustained nationwide protests if lawmakers fail to act ahead of the Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
In a statement released on Friday, the civic coalition said any attempt to weaken provisions guaranteeing transparent vote transmission would amount to an “assault on the Republic”, insisting that credible elections depend on technology-driven safeguards against manipulation.
The group accused lawmakers of attempting to roll back hard-won electoral reforms by removing the requirement for immediate electronic upload of results from polling units to a central database — a measure introduced to curb ballot tampering and improve public confidence in the process.
“Real-time transmission is not optional; it is the backbone of electoral credibility,” the Alliance said. “Anything short of this opens the door to fraud and undermines the will of the people.”
The Rescue Nigeria Alliance urged senators to prioritise democratic integrity over partisan interests, warning that civil society organisations, youth groups and community leaders were already mobilising for peaceful demonstrations across major cities should the amendment pass without the safeguard restored.
The coalition also called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and engaged, stressing that the credibility of the 2027 polls hinges on transparent systems that allow citizens to track results as they are declared.
As debate continues in the upper chamber, pressure is mounting on lawmakers to clarify their position, with rights groups cautioning that any dilution of electoral transparency could deepen public mistrust and trigger widespread unrest in the months leading up to the next general elections.
