As Nigeria edges towards the 2027 general elections, one institution must answer for the uncertainty hanging over the country’s electoral process: the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The confusion surrounding the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and real-time transmission of election results did not arise by accident. It was legislated deliberately through ambiguity.
The Electoral Act 2022 was marketed as a democratic breakthrough. Nigerians were told technology would finally protect their votes from manipulation. Yet when it mattered most, the Senate failed to speak clearly. Instead of mandating real-time electronic transmission of results in plain, enforceable language, lawmakers hid behind vague clauses and discretionary phrases. The result is a law that promises transparency but permits retreat.
During deliberations, the Senate appeared unwilling to take a firm position on BVAS-enabled result transmission. Rather than legislate certainty, it outsourced responsibility to INEC, using the phrase “as prescribed by the Commission.” This legislative cowardice has since proven costly. Laws are meant to guide institutions, not shield lawmakers from accountability.
The fallout was evident in the 2023 elections. BVAS was deployed to accredit voters, but its role in transmitting results in real time became contentious after voting ended. What should have been automatic became debatable. What should have been transparent became explanatory. Nigerians were forced to listen to post-election justifications instead of witnessing live accountability. This confusion did not originate at polling units; it was born in the Senate chamber.
By refusing to be explicit, the Senate created fertile ground for manipulation, legal gymnastics and public distrust. Ambiguity is not neutrality. In a country with a history of disputed elections, unclear laws are an invitation to abuse. The Senate cannot continue to claim reform while legislating escape routes.
This failure exists alongside other unresolved electoral defects. Electoral offences remain largely unpunished. Vote-buying has been normalised. The absence of an independent electoral offences commission emboldens offenders. Meanwhile, political parties openly undermine internal democracy through imposed candidates and sham primaries, further alienating voters.
The consequences are visible and dangerous. Voter apathy is rising. Courts have become parallel electoral arenas. Governments emerge weakened by legitimacy questions. Democracy cannot function where the rules are flexible and accountability is optional.
With 2027 approaching, the Senate must stop pretending confusion is an accident. It is a choice — and a damaging one. Nigerians deserve laws that are firm, not foggy. The Senate must amend the Electoral Act to explicitly mandate real-time electronic transmission of results via BVAS and remove every loophole that enables manipulation.
History will not judge intentions. It will judge outcomes. If the Senate fails again, it will bear responsibility for another election clouded by doubt and for a democracy still waiting to be taken seriously.
Source; Vanguard News