Speaking on Sunday at the Citizens’ Townhall on the 2026 Electoral Act, Amadi described the provision as a major threat to electoral transparency, arguing that it effectively makes electronic transmission optional and opens the door to potential loopholes.

“By default, electronic transmission is now optional. My position is that this law can still be amended; after all, President Tinubu amended the national anthem in a single day. There should be consensus to revise this section so that INEC can regulate failures and capture events accordingly,” Amadi said.

He warned that the clause could create confusion, as polling officers might refuse to upload results citing poor or unavailable networks.

“Communication is not just electronic. This is a flawed law. Even if the internet is available, a polling officer could still claim a lack of communication and refuse to transmit results. This section must be amended urgently; it is crucial,” he added.

Also at the event, Samson Itodo, Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, urged lawmakers to restart the amendment process to remove the contentious clause.

Itodo noted that the proviso undermines the reforms introduced in the 2022 Electoral Act, which aimed to enhance transparency and reduce human interference.

“I hope lawmakers will delete this particular clause. Doing so would allow the country to fully benefit from electronic transmission, which limits human interference and makes the process open and transparent. If politicians are not threatened by it, I see no reason why it shouldn’t be fully enforced,” he said.