Senator Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) has dismissed demands for real-time transmission of election results, insisting Nigeria is not yet at the stage of electronic voting and describing the term “real time” as superfluous.
Speaking on ARISE News, the former Bayelsa governor said the phrase has been widely misunderstood and does not, by itself, guarantee transparency.
“What is the meaning of real time? We are not voting electronically in Nigeria. We are not at the point where you go and press a button and your vote is instantly added to a portal,” Dickson said.
“The word ‘real time’ in this context is actually superfluous. It doesn’t, on its own, give you a transparent election. It shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”
His remarks follow the Senate’s emergency plenary where Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill was revisited. The chamber approved electronic transmission to IReV after forms are signed, with manual collation as backup in case of network failure—but stopped short of mandating real-time upload.
Dickson, who was absent during the earlier controversial vote due to bereavement, said he confronted Senate leadership upon return and was assured of a compromise. He disclosed that INEC had already assured lawmakers it could implement electronic transmission.
“The primary evidence of who won an election is the EC8A. Once votes are counted, agents sign, and copies are issued, INEC compels presiding officers to transmit the result to IReV. That is good enough for us,” he stated.
While expressing reservations about the proviso allowing manual collation, Dickson said compromise was necessary, adding that he would adopt the House version at the conference committee because it reflects earlier consensus.
He also opposed compulsory direct primaries for all parties, describing it as an APC imposition.
—
Disclaimer: This report is based on a media interview and reflects the views of the senator. CDA News Nigeria presents all sides without editorial bias.
© 2026 CDA News Nigeria, All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Contact Us
