Abbas Says Hybrid Transmission Will Protect Voters In 2027 Polls

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has said the National Assembly retained both electronic and manual transmission of election results in the amended Electoral Act to prevent voter exclusion and reduce the risk of deeper apathy in the 2027 general election.

Abbas made the case in Abuja during a courtesy visit by Spain’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Felix Costales. The meeting, attended by senior members of the House leadership, focused on electoral reform, parliamentary collaboration and broader democratic development ahead of the next election cycle.

The Speaker said arguments for an electronic-only framework ignore key operating realities across Nigeria. He cited internet coverage gaps and unstable electricity as major constraints that could make a single-channel transmission model unreliable in many communities.

He said data from the Nigerian Communications Commission indicates that nearly 40 per cent of Nigeria’s territory remains underserved by internet services. On that basis, he argued, insisting on real-time digital transmission in every polling area could shut out a large number of voters and polling units.

“As you said, sometimes people scream far beyond the exact level of the issue,” Abbas said. “A lot of people think that we need to embrace electronic transmission real-time in Nigeria, but within the very little period that you’ve been in Nigeria, you should be able to speak on the quality of our internet network.”

“You should know that even in advanced cities like Abuja, you are not guaranteed stable internet services all the time,” he said.

Abbas also warned that turnout patterns from earlier elections show why lawmakers should avoid policy choices that could further discourage participation. He said only about 12 to 15 per cent of registered voters have typically voted in recent cycles, a figure he described as troubling for a democracy of Nigeria’s size.

“It is sad to say that even with the manual arrangement we are using, we are only able to capture about 12-15 per cent of registered voters who, after every four years, come to vote,” he said. “That’s voter apathy. Very few people go out to vote.”

“Now, if we are to introduce (only) the electronic system, it will further reduce the number because 40 per cent of the country will probably not be able to vote as they don’t have adequate internet services,” Abbas said.

He added that the likely result would be both disenfranchisement and a record low turnout, outcomes he said the legislature should prevent. He said this was why lawmakers adopted a mixed model that allows institutions to apply electronic transmission where feasible while keeping manual channels where infrastructure is weak.

“These are all avoidable. That is why we said, in our wisdom, the Electoral Act should be hybrid—a combination of both the manual and electronic systems,” he said. “Where it is feasible to use the electronic, use the electronic transmission; where it is not possible, use the manual.”

The Speaker said the practical concerns are not limited to internet coverage. He said power supply remains another central issue because digital transmission tools depend on reliable energy.

“The internet is always backed by energy; how do you power the entire country on the day of election to have phones that are working and internet that is working, backed by adequate electricity?” Abbas said.

He said lawmakers who criticised the hybrid approach are also familiar with these infrastructure realities, having travelled widely across the country. According to him, the position of the National Assembly was taken to preserve transparency under existing conditions, not to lower standards.

Abbas further said democratic progress should be measured across election cycles, noting that no country perfected its system in a single phase. He said Nigeria is still improving and can move faster through institutional learning and technical cooperation with partner countries.

He also said he had recently engaged with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission and heard plans for future electoral administration. Abbas said if those plans are implemented as outlined, the 2027 process would be more transparent, more inclusive and better managed.

On bilateral relations, the Speaker said deeper collaboration between Nigeria and Spain could strengthen parliamentary capacity in areas such as legislative drafting, committee effectiveness and democratic accountability.

Ambassador Costales said Spain intends to follow Nigeria’s electoral process closely and is open to supporting the country’s democratic development through stronger inter-parliament ties. He said election periods often bring sharp public disagreement, but institutions can still build consensus through dialogue and steady reforms.

Costales added that expanding parliamentary diplomacy between both countries would help sustain technical exchange and mutual understanding as Nigeria prepares for another major national vote.