Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to partner with satellite internet provider Starlink to facilitate real-time transmission of election results nationwide ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a post on her Facebook page on Tuesday evening, the Senator argued that with INEC’s ₦1.01 trillion budget for the 2026 elections, there should be “zero excuses” for not implementing absolute real-time result transmission.
“Absolute real-time transmission is possible. INEC should partner with Starlink for remote connectivity. Remember, INEC’s 2026 budget is ₦1.01 trillion. Zero excuses 🇳🇬,” Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote.
Her remarks came amid growing controversy over the Senate’s amendment of the Electoral Act, which allows for electronic transmission of election results but stops short of making it mandatory.
Recall that the Senate, on Tuesday, rescinded its earlier rejection of the clause mandating electronic transmission and re-amended the Electoral Act to include electronic transmission as an option. The new provision, however, includes a caveat that in cases of internet failure, results will be manually recorded on Form EC8A.