The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, has identified poor network connectivity as a major impediment to the real-time electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria.
Adaramodu, who spoke during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday, said the success of real-time electronic transmission depended largely on strong network availability, which remained a challenge in many parts of the country.
He noted that several polling units across Nigeria lacked network coverage, adding that without adequate connectivity, the portals required for transmitting results would not open.
The lawmaker said, “Network is a great challenge to the real-time electronic transmission of election results. If there is no network, these portals will not open, which means the real-time has already been defeated.
“When the portal is not open and the presiding officer says he’s going to where there’s network to upload, and then somebody who has lost an election in that polling unit will begin to grumble that they want to rig him out.
That’s the problem.”
The development has continued to generate controversy among Nigerians, with civil society organisations and concerned citizens expressing disappointment over the Senate’s decision.