Mark made the statement while chairing a book launch in Abuja, he was responding to comments by Senate President Godswill Akpabio about the removal of real-time electronic transmission from the Electoral Bill, 2026.
He said the ADC’s position is clear: the Senate should pass the electoral law and leave the decision on real-time result transmission to INEC, according to him, it is up to the commission to determine whether it can implement the system effectively.
The former Senate President stressed that lawmakers should avoid making assumptions about how INEC will operate, he argued that the independence of the electoral body must be respected, and decisions about technology in elections should rest with the commission.
Mark’s intervention comes amid debates over the Electoral Bill, which initially included provisions for real-time electronic transmission of results, the Senate, led by Akpabio, removed the clause, citing concerns about network failures and other technical issues that could affect the election process.
By urging the Senate to pass the bill while leaving technical decisions to INEC, Mark highlighted the need to balance legislative oversight with the operational autonomy of the electoral commission, he said the move would ensure that the law is in place without undermining the commission’s ability to manage elections effectively.
“What the ADC is saying is: pass the law and let INEC decide whether it can implement real-time electronic transmission or not.
Don’t speak for INEC. The position of the ADC is clear: pass the bill and let INEC decide what it will do with it,” Mark insisted.
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