Elections are meant to reflect the true will of the people. In Nigeria, however, the credibility of elections has often been questioned due to allegations of rigging, result manipulation, and lack of transparency. One major reform proposed to address these issues was the compulsory electronic transfer of election results directly from polling units. The failure of the Nigerian Senate to pass this provision has had several negative effects on the country’s democratic process.

One major effect is the continued lack of trust in elections. Many Nigerians believe that results are altered between the polling units and collation centres. Without compulsory electronic transmission, results can still be changed during manual collation. This weakens public confidence in the electoral system and makes citizens doubt whether their votes truly count.

Another effect is the encouragement of electoral malpractice. The absence of a compulsory electronic result transfer system creates opportunities for manipulation by corrupt officials and political actors. Ballot snatching, result alteration, and intimidation are easier to carry out when results are not immediately transmitted from the polling unit. This situation discourages free and fair competition among political parties.

The failure also affects voter participation. When people lose confidence in the electoral process, they are less motivated to vote. Many young people, in particular, feel that elections do not bring real change because the outcomes can be manipulated. Low voter turnout weakens democracy and reduces citizens’ involvement in governance.

In addition, Nigeria’s international image is affected. As Africa’s largest democracy, Nigeria is expected to uphold credible electoral standards. The inability to adopt modern electoral practices such as compulsory electronic result transmission makes the country appear reluctant to embrace transparency and technological progress.

In conclusion, the failure of the Nigerian Senate to pass the compulsory transfer of results from polling units has negatively affected electoral credibility, encouraged malpractice, reduced voter confidence, and weakened democratic development. For Nigeria’s democracy to grow stronger, electoral reforms that promote transparency, accountability, and trust must be taken seriously and fully implemented.