The Senator representing Ebonyi North, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, has stated that the newly amended Electoral Act has effectively eliminated the possibility of electoral manipulation in Nigeria.
Speaking during an appearance on ARISE Television on Wednesday, the lawmaker said the revised law now makes electronic transmission of election results compulsory, unlike previous provisions that allowed room for ambiguity.
According to Nwaebonyi, one of the key changes in the amendment is the replacement of the word “may” with “shall,” making electronic transmission legally binding.
“Nobody can rig election in Nigeria under the new arrangement,” the senator said, stressing that the new legal framework leaves no room for optional compliance with result transmission procedures.
He further explained that the Electoral Act takes precedence over any operational guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including the use of the Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
“The Electoral Act overrides INEC guidelines. If there is any conflict between the guideline and the Act, the Act of parliament supersedes the agency’s guideline,” he noted.
Nwaebonyi also referenced the INEC versus Atiku Abubakar case from the 2023 election cycle, saying the new amendment is expected to influence how courts interpret disputes related to result transmission in future electoral cases.
While commending the amendment, the senator urged political stakeholders and observers to remain vigilant to ensure strict compliance with the law.
“All that is required is for all eyes to be on the ball by all political players,” he added.
The National Assembly had on Tuesday held an emergency plenary session to review and pass the amended Electoral Act after public concerns were raised over the earlier removal of the phrase “real-time” from the electronic transmission clause.