Senator Diket Plang has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assenting to the Electoral Amendment Bill, now the Electoral Act, but cautioned that Nigeria is not yet fully prepared for real-time electronic transmission of election results nationwide.
Plang, who represents Plateau Central Senatorial Zone, stated this while speaking with journalists, saying the President’s timely assent to the bill was critical to the country’s electoral process.
According to him, elections operate within strict timelines, and failure to sign the bill early enough could have negatively affected the conduct of future polls.
“I want to commend the President for signing the Electoral Bill into law in good time. Election is a process with timelines, and when the law is not in place early enough, it can affect the entire process,” he said.
The senator dismissed claims that the President may not have been conversant with the content of the bill before signing it into law, describing such arguments as unfounded.
“All Nigerians are conversant with this bill — journalists, civil society organisations, and NGOs. What makes anyone think the President will not understand it? He has advisers, the Attorney-General, and ministers. The President is very conversant with the content of the law,” Plang stated.
Commenting on the inclusion of electronic transmission of election results in the new Electoral Act, the lawmaker said the provision was timely and long overdue, noting that it would help address challenges associated with manual result handling.
He disclosed that during his own party primary election, errors occurred due to the misuse of result sheets, leading to mutilation of documents and avoidable controversy.
“In my case, a Senate result form was mistakenly used for House of Representatives results. It had to be cancelled and replaced, and that caused issues,”
Plang noted that with multiple wards and polling centres, candidates cannot physically monitor all voting and collation points, making electronic transmission a useful safeguard.
However, the senator expressed reservations about Nigeria’s readiness to implement real-time electronic transmission across the country, citing poor internet coverage in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
“Are we truly ready? Do we have internet services in all nooks and crannies of this country? Some of us come from villages with difficult terrain — valleys and mountains. I don’t think we are ready yet,” he said.
He warned that immediate full implementation of real-time transmission could negatively affect rural communities, particularly those in riverine and remote areas, whose election results may be delayed or cancelled due to network challenges.
“Those of us in the villages will be the victims. The ordinary Nigerian in rural areas will suffer if results cannot be transmitted on time,” Plang added.
The senator stressed the need for realism in electoral reforms, saying that while electronic transmission is desirable, its implementation should align with the country’s technological capacity.
Plang also responded to concerns that budgetary allocations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could address technological gaps, noting that infrastructure challenges remain a major issue despite funding provisions.
He further rejected claims that the Senate operates as a rubber stamp to the Presidency, insisting that the legislature maintains its independence and has, in the past, declined to screen certain ministerial nominees.
“The relationship between the arms of government is progressive and in the interest of Nigerians. There are areas where we disagree, and we have demonstrated that independence,” he said.
The senator urged Nigerians to show greater trust in democratic institutions and called on government information managers to improve public communication on electoral reforms.
According to him, clearer explanation of electoral laws and processes would help reduce suspicion and misinformation among citizens.
