Public affairs analyst Shehu Mahdi has expressed confidence that Nigeria has the capability to carry out electronic transmission of election results in real-time.
Mahdi made this assertion on Friday during a segment on Arise Television, where he discussed the ongoing discussions about the electronic transmission of electoral results.
His statements come shortly after the Senate revised Section 60 of the Electoral Act, enabling presiding officers at polling units to upload results electronically to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Results Viewing Portal (IREV).
Addressing this change, Mahdi criticized the reluctance he perceives among lawmakers, suggesting that Nigeria possesses the essential resources and infrastructure for live result transmission.
“The Senate is jeopardizing Nigeria's future. We have the human resources, financial affluence, and technological infrastructure in place to facilitate real-time data transmission. It’s time to move beyond the facade and adhere to the law,” he stated.
He further stated that the failure to adopt electronic transmission fully hampers the nation's democratic advancement and tarnishes its international standing.
“If the Senate argues that Nigeria isn’t prepared for real-time transmission, then when exactly will we be ready? This nation is undoubtedly prepared,” Mahdi emphasized.
He highlighted the usage of digital communication tools like Zoom for official meetings conducted by both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly as corroborative evidence of Nigeria's readiness in terms of technology.
“A country that can host significant meetings on Zoom is adequately positioned for the live transmission of election results,” he concluded.
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