02/06/2026
**Frustrated Senators Now Demand Mandatory Electronic Transmission of Results After Losing APC Tickets**
A growing number of Nigerian senators are now pushing for the compulsory electronic transmission of election results directly from polling units to INEC servers. Ironically, many of these same lawmakers previously argued that electronic transmission should remain optional, aligning themselves with the APC's position at the time.
The obvious question is: **Why the sudden change of heart?**
The answer appears straightforward. Their newfound enthusiasm for electoral transparency did not emerge solely from a commitment to democracy. Rather, it gained momentum when the political system they once defended began working against them.
Many lawmakers supported existing party structures and electoral arrangements because they believed their political futures were secure. Confident of retaining their party tickets, they trusted the process. However, during the APC primaries, several of them discovered that the same machinery they had defended could be used to replace them with preferred candidates.
That reality was a wake-up call.
Suddenly, concerns about transparency, accountability, and the integrity of electoral processes became more urgent. Faced with political uncertainty, these lawmakers now see mandatory electronic transmission as a safeguard against manipulation and behind-the-scenes interference.
As the saying goes, *"The trap a man sets for another may eventually catch his own leg."*
By insisting on electronic transmission without loopholes, many senators are no longer speaking merely from principle; they are speaking from experience. They have learned that a system vulnerable to manipulation can eventually be turned against anyone.
The irony is striking: some of those who once defended the old order are now among the strongest advocates for reform because they have personally felt its consequences.
Politics has a unique way of teaching the value of fairness—especially when the rules stop working in your favor.
