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Former INEC Electoral Commissioner, Barr. Mike Igini, has cautioned members of the National Assembly against introducing a proviso that could weaken the mandatory electronic transmission of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
In a statement issued on Sunday, Igini argued that failure to guarantee real-time transmission would expose legislators to the same political misfortunes that befell their predecessors, many of whom were denied party tickets and ultimately lost re-election bids due to manipulation of results during collation.
According to Igini, the majority of incumbent legislators may not return in the 2027 elections if the National Assembly maintains a proviso limiting the direct, real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results to IReV.
Igini said the provision recently introduced by the Senate could reproduce patterns of high legislative turnover seen in previous electoral cycles.
He argued that legislators denied party nomination tickets, especially those out of favour with governors or party leaders, are particularly vulnerable to manipulation of results during collation processes.
Highlighting data from elections between 2007 and 2023, Igini noted a consistently high attrition rate in both chambers of the National Assembly.
He said the Sixth Senate (2007–2011) returned only 23 of 109 members, while the Tenth Senate (2023–2027) saw just 25 incumbents re-elected, producing a turnover rate of 77%. Similarly, turnover in the House of Representatives ranged from 78% in the Sixth Assembly to 70% in the current Tenth Assembly.
He said, “Nigerians have insistently demanded real-time electronic transmission from polling units to IReV, precisely to forestall post-polling alterations at ward or local government collation centres. Publicly viewable results serve as deterrence and would render such tampering manifest and actionable.
“Nigerians and indeed incumbent legislators, particularly those that have demonstrated competence, independence and legislative proficiency, deserving of re-election, require this safeguard more acutely than any other cohort for legislative institutional capacity building.”
In his analysis, he said, “ln the Senate, the Sixth Senate (2007-2011) returned only 23 of 109 members, with 86 newly elected Senators, representing a turnover rate of 79%.
“The Seventh Senate (2011-2015) recorded 36 re-elections and 73 new entrants (67% turnover).
“The Eighth Senate (2015–2019) saw 39 returning Senators and 70 newcomers (64% turnover).
“The Ninth Senate (2019–2023) marginally improved with 45 re-elected and 64 newly elected members, yielding a 59% turnover rate.
“Alarmingly, the current Tenth Senate (2023–2027) has regressed sharply, with only 25 returning Senators and 84 new entrants—translating to a staggering 77% turnover.
“A similarly destabilising pattern persists in the House of Representatives. In the Sixth House (2007–2011), merely 80 of 360 members were re-elected, while 280 were newcomers (78% turnover). The Seventh House (2011–2015) recorded 100 re-elected members against 260 newly elected (72% turnover).
“The Eighth House (2015–2019) saw 110 returnees and 250 new legislators (69.4% turnover). The Ninth House (2019–2023) marked the lowest attrition in this period, with 151 re-elected and 209 newly elected members (57% turnover).”
“However, the present Tenth House (2023–2027) has again deteriorated, returning only 109 members while ushering in 251 new legislators producing a 70% turnover rate,” he added.
Igini argued that real-time electronic transmission is critical to safeguarding the democratic process, ensuring that constituency support is accurately reflected in results, and protecting competent legislators seeking re-election.
He warned that the Senate’s proviso could enable collusion among party leaders, collation officials, and telecommunications providers, potentially undermining election integrity.
He cited successful pilot implementations of real-time E-transmission in Cross River State in 2012 and multiple off-cycle elections before 2023, noting that network coverage in Nigeria is sufficient for such operations.
“For the record, way back in 2012 in Cross River State, as the Commissioner in charge of the state, the Commission under Professor Jega, carried out a successful real-time E-transmission pilot in the conduct of the second term election of Governor Liyel lmoke viewed on a dashboard in my office as collated result from the 18 LGAs were transmitted and updated across the state successfully,” Igini said, calling on the National Assembly to remove the proviso and restore the original, unequivocal requirement for direct transmission of polling unit results.
“The problem has always been that of statute capture and statute sabotage coupled with strange and questionable refusal of the Courts to give effect to the laws, this lapse by custodians of the Law, has encouraged election manipulation.”
He also appealed to the judiciary to uphold democratic principles and prevent institutional weaknesses that could undermine the rule of law.
“The facts of alarming rate of legislators turnover are incontrovertible. The imperatives are clear. Let wisdom prevail over expediency, convenience and party loyalty lest history repeat its tragic verdict upon yet another Assembly,” he said.
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