A former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has described calls for the use of Starlink for real-time transmission of election results in Nigeria as unrealistic and potentially dangerous.
Omokri, who is ambassadorial-designate, made the remarks in a post published Wednesday on his verified Facebook page.
In the statement, he questioned demands by some political actors for Nigeria to adopt Starlink technology to enable instant electronic transmission of election results.
According to him, even in the United States, where Starlink originated, there is no system of real-time nationwide transmission of election results through such satellite services.
He argued that it was inconsistent to expect Nigeria to deploy a system that, in his view, has not been adopted in Starlink’s home country.
“To those saying Nigeria should use Starlink for real-time election results transmission, are you aware that even the country of origin of Starlink does not have real-time election results transmission?” he wrote.
Omokri also raised concerns about national sovereignty and data security.
He warned that deploying a foreign-owned satellite internet provider for election processes could expose sensitive electoral and citizens’ data to external influence.
“First of all, if you use Starlink, you are surrendering vital and personal data about your citizens and your electoral system to a foreign power. No government on Earth does that,” he stated.
He further argued that electronic transmission systems, including those powered by satellite internet, remain vulnerable to hacking.
Citing past public comments by Elon Musk expressing skepticism about electronic voting systems, Omokri said real-time transmission of results could be manipulated by foreign actors or individuals with technical expertise.
While acknowledging that electronic transmission of election results may be desirable, Omokri maintained that real-time transmission would amount to “a disaster.”
His comments come amid ongoing debates in Nigeria over electoral reforms, particularly the role of technology in enhancing transparency and credibility in elections.
Advocates of electronic and real-time transmission argue that it can reduce manipulation, speed up collation, and improve public trust.
Critics, however, have pointed to infrastructure gaps, cybersecurity risks, and legal considerations as challenges that must be addressed before full implementation.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has previously adopted electronic transmission of results from polling units to its viewing portal, but discussions continue over the scope, reliability, and legal framework guiding real-time digital collation.
The debate remains central to Nigeria’s broader electoral reform discourse ahead of future elections.
