Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has declared that the majority of Nigeria’s federal lawmakers would fail to secure re-election if the country conducted truly transparent and credible elections.
Sowore made the statement while responding to the ongoing debate over amendments to the Electoral Act, especially the sections dealing with electronic transmission of election results.
Earlier this week, the Senate approved provisions allowing electronic transmission of results, a decision welcomed by many Nigerians. However, lawmakers retained a clause permitting manual collation of results in areas with poor internet connectivity, a move that has continued to generate public criticism.
Speaking during a live television programme, Sowore argued that the resistance to full electoral transparency is driven by fear among politicians who believe credible elections would expose electoral manipulation and end their political dominance.
He dismissed claims that weak network coverage justified manual collation, describing the argument as an excuse to preserve loopholes that enable electoral malpractice.
According to him, most political office holders are unwilling to support reforms that would strengthen democracy because such reforms would threaten their chances of returning to office.
Sowore described the Senate’s decision to retain manual collation as a calculated move designed to maintain control over election outcomes. He insisted that the clause creates room to manipulate results and weakens public confidence in the electoral system.
He also criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission’s result viewing portal, stating that the system remains outdated and incapable of delivering truly transparent elections.
The activist called for the adoption of full electronic voting in Nigeria, citing India as a practical example. He noted that India successfully conducts electronic voting for over 900 million registered voters, proving that technological challenges can be overcome.
Sowore questioned why Nigerians cannot cast their votes electronically when they can already perform secure online banking, confidential financial transactions, and sensitive digital communications.
He maintained that embracing electronic voting would significantly reduce electoral fraud, cut down prolonged court cases, and restore trust in Nigeria’s democratic process.
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