Ikoiwak Seeks Deeper Public Understanding Of 2026 Electoral Act, Urges Strict Compliance With Result Transmission Rules

Ikoiwak Seeks Deeper Public Understanding Of 2026 Electoral Act, Urges Strict Compliance With Result Transmission Rules

By Solomon OKPO | February 20, 2026.

A former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Aniedi Ikoiwak, has renewed his call for strict adherence to electoral laws and deeper public understanding of the 2026 Electoral Act, insisting that the credibility of elections rests on transparency, independence and full compliance with statutory provisions.

Ikoiwak, who previously served with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has consistently emphasized the need for free, fair and credible elections. He maintains that electoral officials must remain independent, unbiased and immune to political pressure in order to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.

Speaking on the recently amended Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ikoiwak expressed concern that many stakeholders lack adequate knowledge of the new provisions, particularly those relating to the transmission of results.

According to him, the law makes it compulsory for all polling unit results to be transmitted to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (iRev). He clarified that only results not immediately delivered electronically, specifically Form EC8A duly signed at the polling unit, are to be physically taken to the collation centre to allow collation to continue.

He explained that where network challenges prevent instant transmission, results captured by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will automatically upload to the iRev once the device enters an area with network coverage. This, he said, eliminates the possibility of presiding officers presenting altered results at collation centres, as any discrepancy would be detected when the electronically transmitted version reflects on the portal.

Ikoiwak warned that any presiding officer who attempts to manipulate results would face severe legal consequences, including imprisonment, stressing that the law is clear on sanctions for electoral malpractice.

He urged political actors, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to thoroughly study the provisions of the 2026 Electoral Act before engaging in public commentary. He cautioned against spreading misinformation borne out of inadequate understanding of the law, particularly on the issue of result transmission at polling units.

“The proviso in the Act does not in any way stop the compulsory capturing of results in the BVAS,” he noted, reiterating that electronic transmission remains a mandatory component of the process.

Beyond legal compliance, Ikoiwak has been actively involved in voter education initiatives, campaigning against vote-selling, multiple voter registrations and other practices that undermine electoral credibility. He has also advocated increased participation in voter registration and Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercises as a means of strengthening democratic participation.

During his tenure as a Resident Electoral Commissioner, he supervised general and re-run elections in states including Rivers State, where he promoted strict adherence to electoral procedures and operational guidelines.

Ikoiwak maintains that restoring and sustaining public trust in elections requires not only sound legislation but also disciplined implementation and informed citizen engagement.

The Evangelist News