Network Failure Or Political Fraud? Sowore Blasts Senate’s ‘Clever’ Electoral Trap
By Passman Akpos
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has asserted that the vast majority of Nigeria’s elected officials would lose their positions if elections were conducted transparently.
Sowore made the claim while reacting to the ongoing controversy surrounding amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly the Senate’s decision to retain manual collation of election results in areas with poor internet connectivity.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Sowore argued that lawmakers’ resistance to full electronic transmission of results is driven by self-preservation rather than genuine logistical concerns.
According to him, claims that weak network coverage necessitates manual collation are nothing more than excuses.
“This excuse that there is no network in some states is just another balloon air on the part of these guys. They don’t want transparent elections because if elections are transparent, 90 per cent of them will not make it to the National Assembly — and of course the presidency and other elected positions, they know that,” Sowore said.
On Tuesday, the Senate amended the Electoral Act to permit electronic transmission of election results, a reform widely demanded by Nigerians and civil society groups. However, lawmakers retained a clause allowing manual collation where internet connectivity is deemed to have failed — a provision critics say opens the door to manipulation.
Sowore described the Senate’s decision as “clever by half,” insisting that the clause was deliberately inserted to preserve what he termed the “hardcoded way of reporting elections,” which he said has consistently undermined public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.He further criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) result-viewing portal, IREV, describing it as outdated and inadequate for a modern democracy.
Calling for far-reaching reforms, Sowore urged Nigeria to adopt full electronic voting, citing India as an example.
“By now, we should be doing what they are doing in India. India has 900 million registered voters and they use electronic voting as their own way of expressing the wishes of the people and those are almost foolproof,” he said.
He questioned why Nigeria, with about 90 million registered voters, continues to struggle with electoral credibility, noting that large-scale post-election litigation is rare in India despite its massive electorate.
Sowore also challenged the logic of limiting electronic processes in elections when Nigerians routinely conduct sensitive transactions online.“Why can’t Nigerians vote from home electronically when they can carry out other confidential electronic transactions?” he asked.
His comments have reignited debate over electoral reforms, transparency, and trust in Nigeria’s democratic process as the country prepares for future elections.
