By OLUWATOPE LAWANSON

A rights activist, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, has described Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results as a step backward for Nigeria’s democracy.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, Okei-Odumakin expressed concern about the Senate’s decision.

Okei-Odumakin, the President of the Centre for Change, said that the decision was troubling.

She said that the rejection undermined transparency and credibility in elections.

According to her, the rejection of electronic transmission was contrary to the expectations of most Nigerians, who have been demanding transparency and trust in the country’s electoral process.

The human rights activist said that in a country where election outcomes were too often contested and litigated, reforms which would enhance transparency should be embraced, not resisted.

“Mandatory electronic transmission of results is not a luxury; it is a safeguard.

“ It reduces human interference, limits manipulation, and strengthens public confidence in elections.

She said that technology had offered a practical pathway to cleaner elections and accountable governance.

She added that concerns about infrastructure or security should not he excuses to halt reforms.

According to her security and infrastructure challenges require investment and political will to tackle.

She said that democracy must reflect the will of the people.

“Nigerians are not asking for perfection, they are asking for progress.

“Therefore, I stand firmly with Nigerians calling for the restoration of mandatory electronic transmission of election results and broader electoral reforms,” Okei-Odumakin declared.

NAN recalls that the Senate recently rejected proposed amendments that would make electronic transmission of election results compulsory, opting, instead, to retain the existing provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act. (NAN)