A rights activist, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, has described Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results as a step backward for Nigeria’s democracy. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos, Okei-Odumakin expressed concern about the Senate’s decision.

Okei-Odumakin, the President of the Centre for Change, said that the decision was troubling. She said the rejection undermined transparency and credibility in elections. According to her, the rejection of electronic transmission was contrary to the expectations of most Nigerians, who have been demanding transparency and trust in the country’s electoral process.

The human rights activist said in a country where election outcomes were too often contested and litigated, reforms which would enhance transparency should be embraced, not resisted.

Okei-Odumakin said: “Mandatory electronic transmission of results is not a luxury; it is a safeguard. “It reduces human interference, limits manipulation, and strengthens public confidence in elections.”

She said technology had offered a practical pathway to cleaner elections and accountable governance. She added that concerns about infrastructure or security should not he excuses to halt reforms. According to her security and infrastructure challenges require investment and political will to tackle