Senator Ken Eze has said that Nigeria is not yet ready for real-time electronic voting because of infrastructure challenges.
Speaking during a media chat at his residence in Ohigbo Amagu, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, the lawmaker explained that while many Nigerians want instant electronic voting, the country does not currently have the technical capacity to support it.
According to him, real-time voting would mean that once a voter presses a button on an electronic machine, the vote is immediately sent to a central server. He said Nigeria still uses an analog ballot system and struggles with unstable electricity and internet connectivity.
The Senator, who represents Ebonyi Central District, said the National Assembly never rejected electronic transmission of results.
Instead, lawmakers supported it but insisted it must be done in a practical and reliable way.
He added that votes in Nigeria are first counted and recorded at polling units before they are transmitted. This process naturally takes time and cannot be instant.
Senator Eze also mentioned that during the last election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) provided generators at collation centres but not at individual polling units. Some machines arrived without being fully charged, making real-time transmission difficult.
He explained that the reforms also introduced improvements, including the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS), which helps ensure that votes counted do not exceed the number of accredited voters.
The Senator urged Nigerians to understand the realities on the ground, stressing that electoral laws must be workable and sustainable to avoid confusion and voter disappointment.
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