The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi opposed electronic transmission of election results during the administration of Muhammadu Buhari. Wike said those who resisted the measure while in government are now criticising provisions in the Electoral Act 2026.
Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, Wike responded to opposition concerns over the recently enacted Electoral Act 2026 signed by Bola Tinubu. The law permits manual transmission of results in situations where electronic transmission is hindered by network failures.
Wike argued that critics, including Amaechi, had previously discouraged Buhari from approving electronic transmission, claiming it could negatively affect their political prospects at the time. He questioned why the same individuals are now demanding full electronic transmission without exceptions.
The minister maintained that the current law does not eliminate electronic transmission but introduces a contingency clause to prevent the invalidation of votes where technical challenges occur. He said the provision is intended to safeguard voter participation rather than undermine transparency.
Wike also addressed another debated section of the Act requiring political parties to adopt direct primaries for candidate selection. He stated that indirect primaries tend to concentrate influence in the hands of governors, ministers and other political office holders with financial leverage.
According to him, mandating direct primaries is designed to reduce the dominance of party elites and broaden participation within political parties.
Last week, opposition parties including the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigerian Peoples Party called on the National Assembly to initiate fresh amendments to the Electoral Act 2026. They described certain sections of the law as undemocratic and warned that the provisions could weaken public trust in the electoral system.
The debate over the Electoral Act 2026 continues as political stakeholders prepare for future elections, with discussions centred on balancing technological innovation and practical safeguards within Nigeria’s voting framework.
