The Senate has stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not presently have the capacity to conduct electronic voting.
Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee reviewing the 2026 Electoral Bill, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, clarified during an appearance on Arise News Channel.
According to him, the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) is a platform designed to upload and display results that have already been manually counted and declared at polling units.
“IReV is not an e-voting platform,” he said. “It is a software created to publicise results that have been manually recorded on Form EC8A and duly signed at the polling unit.”
Adegbonmire explained that Nigeria has not transitioned to an electronic voting system and that real-time transmission of results can only occur where a full e-voting structure exists.
“For now, INEC does not have the capability for e-voting. Perhaps in two or three years such a system could be adopted, but as of today it is not in place,” he stated.
He dismissed claims that the Senate had opposed the use of IReV for the 2027 elections, describing such reports as a misunderstanding of the legislative provisions.
“The Senate never said INEC should not use IReV. Whether you call it upload, transfer or transmit, the process still begins with manual entry of results on Form EC8A,” he added.
He emphasised that ballot counting remains a manual process and that neither IReV nor BVAS counts votes.
Similarly, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Adebayo Balogun, said the only difference between the Senate and House versions of the bill concerns the “real-time” clause. He noted that both chambers agreed on electronic transmission, but that collation would still rely on manually completed Form EC8A in cases of discrepancies.
Meanwhile, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) cautioned politicians against early campaigning for the 2027 general elections, urging leaders to prioritise governance, security and economic stability.
Speaking in Lagos, PFN President Bishop Wale Oke called on political actors to await INEC’s official timetable before commencing campaigns.
“For goodness’ sake, let us govern. Nigerians are facing hardship and insecurity. This is not the time for premature politicking,” he said.
The fellowship also backed real-time transmission of results, arguing that credible elections are vital for democratic stability. However, it reaffirmed its non-partisan stance, stating that church pulpits would not be used for political campaigns or endorsements.
PFN further called for a people-driven constitution that reflects national diversity and fairness, while condemning any unconstitutional attempt to change government.
The Senate had constituted its ad-hoc committee to harmonise differing provisions in the Electoral Bill and address grey areas ahead of the 2027 general elections.
