The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, has issued a strong warning against any attempt to weaken the electronic transmission of election results before the 2027 general elections.
The coalition said using electronic transmission helps fix problems by making sure the results sent from polling stations can’t be changed by politicians, corrupt officials, or other people with a lot to gain.
In a statement from its National Coordinator, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the group expressed worry over what it called the increasing actions by some political figures to weaken or stop the complete use of electronic result sharing.
According to CNG, Nigeria has faced many problems in its elections over the years, and these issues mostly come from the stage where results are collected and counted.
There are claims that during this process, the results are changed in a way that does not reflect what the voters actually wanted.
The Coalition said, “We make it clear, without any hesitation or diplomacy: sending election results electronically is not something that can be skipped, tested, or discussed. It’s essential for fair elections and the final protection against election theft.
“Nigeria has endured for too long a system where elections are manipulated, and this has taken away the people’s right to freely pick their leaders. For many years, the biggest problem in our elections hasn’t been the voting itself, but the way results are counted.
“Numbers seem to change for no clear reason, some winning votes vanish, and the choices people make get ignored in favour of the decisions made by powerful political groups. It is exactly this criminal space that electronic transmission tries to remove.
“Electronic transmission ensures that once election results are sent out from the polling stations, they can’t be changed by politicians who are desperate to win, officials who might be corrupt, or hidden groups that try to influence things behind the scenes during manual counting. It ensures the ballot stays safe, maintains people’s confidence, and helps keep the country stable.
“Any resistance to this change can only mean someone is against being transparent. We are very worried about the recent remarks, actions, and laws connected with the Senate President and some groups in the National Assembly that seem meant to weaken or stop the complete use of electronic result transmission.
“These actions are not just frustrating; they are risky, take us backward, and go against democracy. When democracies around the world are using technology to improve transparency, it’s disgraceful that some top officials in Nigeria are thinking about going back to old-fashioned, unfair practices.”
It added that having repeated unfair elections could make people lose trust, lead to more violence after elections, and cause serious problems with whether the government is really allowed to rule.
The group asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to stay strong and continue using the full electronic system for sending results without any changes, and they also asked the National Assembly not to pass any laws that could make the election process less open and transparent.
It added, “People who don’t like e-transmission are against it because the old cheating system benefits them. They worry about a system where every vote actually matters. They fear a system they cannot manipulate.
“They fear the people’s verdict. The Senate President and his team need to remember that they hold their positions because the people have given them permission, not because they believe they have a right to it.
“The National Assembly isn’t a place where politicians just protect themselves; it’s a part of the constitution designed to make democracy stronger and ensure that every vote is respected and safe. History won’t treat kindly anyone who, in any way, tries to reduce the openness of elections.
“Nigeria can’t handle another round of contested elections, violence after the polls, legal fights, and problems with trust in the government. We can’t keep risking our country’s stability just because some top political leaders don’t like being held responsible.
“Credible elections go beyond politics; they are important for the country’s safety, the economy’s strength, trust from businesses, and the unity of the people. When people stop trusting the voting process, they also start losing trust in the country as a whole.
“And when faith collapses, unrest follows. Electronic transmission is not just a technical change; it serves as a protection for peace and national unity.”
It called on civil society groups, youth organizations, and the media to increase their efforts in advocacy and monitoring, and he encouraged Nigerians from all regions and political backgrounds to make sure their elected leaders are doing their duty.
CNG said it would fight against any effort to undo the electoral reforms, saying that anything less than fair, clear, and tech-based elections would not be acceptable to the people of Nigeria.
“We need to speak as one: our votes are important, and they should be kept safe through technology. Democracy can’t just rely on trust; it needs real systems that can be checked and proven.
“Nigeria belongs to the people, not to those in power who act behind closed doors, not to those already in charge, and not to those who make secret deals. As we get closer to 2027, let this message be clear to everyone and in every voting place: we will not allow anyone to take this country back to an earlier time. We will not let anyone take away the future of our children by manipulating elections. We will work together as a democracy to protect every vote that Nigerians have cast.
“The time for electoral darkness has passed. The era of transparency must prevail. The Nigerian people will not accept anything less than honest, open, and modern elections in 2027,” it said.
2027: Electronic transmission of results none negotiable – Northern Coalition blows hot