By BONIFACE AKARAH

Foremost lawyer and human rights activist Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, has urged the National Assembly to make electronic transmission of election results non-negotiable, warning that failure to do so threatens the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

In a statement made available to News Express on Monday morning, February 9, 2026, Adegboruwa said, “Facts emerging from the National Assembly concerning the issue of electronic transmission of election results are very worrisome and befuddling. In 21st century Nigeria, where even government ministries and parastatals are moving towards a paperless regime, it is surprising that the National Assembly is unable to summon the courage to do what Nigerians yearn for.”

The Lagos-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria highlighted the repeated cases of electoral malpractice over the years, noting, “Successive elections have been marred by cases of electoral fraud, corruption and manipulation, especially in the collation and transmission of results. It constitutes a total disregard for the sanctity of the ballot to suggest in any form that the will of the people be subjected to the slightest risk of rigging and manipulation.”

Adegboruwa stressed that reducing human intervention in election result collation is crucial for transparency. He further stated, “As representatives of the people, the National Assembly should always reflect the overall interests of Nigerians in their laws, policies and actions.”

He concluded by joining calls from other Nigerians for legislative action, insisting: “At this stage of our political development, the issue of electronic transmission of election results should not be an issue for debate or controversy. The National Assembly has a sacred duty to guarantee the sanctity and integrity of elections in order to ensure that only those truly chosen by the people emerge as winners. I therefore join all other well-meaning Nigerians to call upon the legislators to ensure that the final amended draft of the Electoral Act reflects compulsory electronic transmission of election results.”

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