Senator Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa West has expressed disappointment over the Senate’s initial refusal to approve a clause mandating electronic transmission of election results from polling units, saying he shares the frustration many Nigerians felt over the decision.
Speaking in a television interview, Dickson said he was in Bayelsa mourning his late brother when news broke that the Senate declined to adopt the clause earlier passed by the House of Representatives as part of a harmonised legislative effort.
A member of the Senate Electoral Committee, Dickson said the proposal followed nearly two years of consultations, workshops and engagements involving officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission. He noted that he had championed similar reforms in the 9th Senate.
Dickson said that after returning to Abuja, he met with Senate leaders who assured him that the matter would be revisited. He explained that lawmakers later introduced a motion for rescission, moved by Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, which opened the door for mandatory electronic transmission with an exception for network failures.
While acknowledging that the revised version falls short of expectations, Dickson described it as a practical compromise within parliamentary negotiations. According to him, the amendment still represents progress for Nigeria’s electoral system.
He said INEC had assured lawmakers of its capacity to transmit results nationwide and expressed confidence in the commission’s preparedness. Dickson explained that the INEC Result Viewing Portal was created to improve transparency by giving the public real time access to polling unit results, even though it is not a collation platform.
According to the senator, mandatory electronic transmission would help reduce manipulation at ward and local government collation centres, which he identified as vulnerable points in the electoral chain. Although he disagrees with the network failure proviso, he said it addresses rare situations and should not overshadow the broader push for transparency.
Dickson urged Nigerians to remain actively involved in the democratic process, stressing the importance of voter participation and vigilance in ensuring results are properly transmitted and counted.
He also reminded citizens that Nigeria does not yet practice full electronic voting, noting that real time public monitoring begins after polling unit results are declared and uploaded. He encouraged Nigerians not to lose faith in democracy and to stay engaged ahead of future elections.
