Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Honourable Adebayo Balogun, has defended the inclusion of a fallback to physical forms in the newly signed Electoral Act 2026, insisting the provision safeguards credibility and transparency in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Wednesday, Balogun emphasised the importance of public confidence in the electoral process, noting that the optional clause allowing the use of physical forms is not a regression but a necessary precaution.
“It needs some education. The system is about confidence and integrity. Already, the feeling out there is that even before 2027, the elections have been compromised. We are here to tell Nigerians not to give up. The struggle for democracy is not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” Balogun said.
He explained the practical workings of the system under the new law, highlighting that electronic results will still be transmitted but that physical forms serve as a safeguard against technical failures. “You snap your form EC8A at the polling unit. Everybody has signed already. Every agent has a copy. By the time you get to the ward collation, each presiding officer brings results from each unit. It is only when there are issues that you need to confirm. So, if everybody goes there and you have reliable agents, that’s what you need in your party.”
Balogun stressed that the fallback clause does not encourage manipulation, arguing that the law already imposes accountability: “If the presiding officer willingly contravenes any provision of the clause, they commit an offence and are liable. Transmission is important, but this safeguard ensures the process is credible.”
He also clarified the legislative process leading to the current law, defending changes made during harmonisation between the House of Representatives and the Senate. “Both Houses presented the same bill. Law is never cast in stone. Amendments happen as things change. We saw reasons to adjust certain provisions. People protesting are often not doing so in Nigeria’s interest but for personal reasons,” Balogun said.
On concerns over network coverage and electronic transmission, Balogun dismissed claims of technical incapacity. “In the lead-up to the last elections, the Nigerian Communications Commission and INEC conducted a survey and found 93% to 97% coverage. So why, four years later, are we still talking about transmission?”
He further distinguished between electronic voting and online voting, explaining that electronic voting can operate offline with printed copies for verification: “Electronic voting is not online. It works with stored input. You get a copy, put it in the box. Accreditation is done along with voting. This ensures the accredited voter number equals the total votes.”
Balogun also defended the committee’s authority to make corrections to printing errors and minor adjustments in the law before final adoption. “The joint committee took decisions to correct errors and rescind early amendments. That’s why some documents were temporarily unavailable, but the process was properly managed.”
Concluding, Balogun urged Nigerians to remain engaged and confident in the system. “Nigerians need to use their votes to right the wrongs. After voting, we walk within the laws and seek to tell them if something is wrong. The elections depend on confidence and integrity.”
Boluwatife Enome
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