From Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has insisted that technology must be mainstreamed into Nigeria’s electoral law to prevent fraud in the transmission of election results.
Rafsanjani made this statement in response to the controversy surrounding the amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly the rejection of the proposed amendment to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
He described the argument that Nigerians cannot effectively use technology for elections as “nothing but a convenient fraud”, noting that Nigerians rely on electronic networks for various transactions daily.
“Every day, Nigerians across the country rely on electronic networks for bank transfers, accessing government portals, running businesses, and engaging on social media,” Rafsanjani said.
He pointed out that with recent innovations such as 5G and other network services expanding connectivity, claiming that electronic transmission of election results is “not feasible” is either dishonest or deliberately misleading.
Rafsanjani argued that the resistance to electronic transmission of results is not about technology, but about control, and that certain political forces are determined to retain power through manipulation rather than popular mandate.
He noted that the current controversy surrounding amendments to the Electoral Act reflects a long-standing determination by certain political forces to retain power through manipulation rather than popular mandate.
When lawmakers deliberately weaken or obstruct reforms that would enhance transparency, especially the electronic transmission of results, it is no longer a legislative disagreement, Rafsanjani said.
“It is electoral corruption at its foundation,” he emphasized.
Rafsanjani warned that the groundwork for compromising the 2027 elections is already being laid, and that the rejection of electronic transmission of results sends a strong signal that some actors are determined to create conditions for electoral manipulation.
He stressed that a weak electoral law breeds instability, violence, and crisis, and does not promote peace or good governance.
Civil society organizations, Rafsanjani said, have a critical role to play in advocating for electoral reforms, public education, and sustained pressure to expose anti-democratic manoeuvres and mobilize Nigerians to demand better governance.