By Esther Odeh
The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has called for calm amid ongoing protests against the National Assembly over its rejection of a proposal to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
The council, at an emergency Press Conference on Wednesday 10th, in Abuja, said the agitation stemmed from a proposed amendment to Clause 60 of the Electoral Act seeking compulsory upload of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time.
It clarified that the Senate did not reject electronic transmission of results but voted against making real-time upload mandatory .
The Executive Director of the council, Amb. Akinlosotu Blessing, explained that the current Electoral Act provides that presiding officers count votes at polling units in the presence of party agents and observers, record results on prescribed forms, publicly announce them, and thereafter transmit the results electronically to collation centres.
Citing the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Adeyemi Adaramodu. He noted that electronic transmission “remains part of the law,” while only the mandatory real-time provision was rejected.
Akinlosotu added that the Senate subsequently reviewed its position and resolved that results “shall” be electronically transmitted to the IReV portal, but where transmission becomes impossible due to technical challenges, physical result forms would serve as the primary instrument for verification.
The council said opponents of mandatory real-time transmission had raised concerns over network coverage gaps, particularly in rural communities, as well as risks of technical glitches and cyber threats that could undermine electoral credibility.
Akinlosotu argued that many advanced democracies still rely on manual counting and phased electronic transmission, and cautioned against adopting systems that could trigger disputes if technological failures occur.
NCSCN further alleged that key actors in the nationwide protests were affiliated with political parties, urging civil society organisations to avoid actions that could overheat the polity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We must consolidate on democratic gains made so far and avoid steps that could threaten law and order,” the council said.
It called on civil society groups to dissociate themselves from the ongoing protests and instead promote informed public engagement on electoral reforms.
