The Senate yesterday rejected a proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill 2026, that sought to make the electronic transmission of election results from polling units compulsory.
This followed the clause by clause consideration and passage of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal & Enactment) Bill, 2026.
The proposed amendment in 60(3) states that "The Commission shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to IREV portal in real time and such transmission shall be done simultaneously with the physical collation of results."
The Senate adopted the existing provision of the Electoral Act, 2022 which states that "the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission."
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
The rejection followed an amendment made by Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno, APC) who proposed that the transmission aspect be removed while the original provision be retained.
Daily Trust reports that the House of Representatives had earlier during the passage of the electoral amendment bill approved clause 60 (3) which mandated result shall be electronically transmitted from the polling units to IREV portal.
Meanwhile, after the passage of the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio while reacting to the comments trailing the rejection of electronic transmission of results made a u-turn, stating that the Senate never rejected electronic transmission.
He said a conference committee of the Senate will be constituted with the House of Representatives to harmonise the differences and come up with a clean copy that will be transmitted for assent.
"We will set up the conference committee because definitely, I'm sure some of the provisions that we have elicited today will be different from what our colleagues passed and adjourned last week in the House of Representatives.
"But the social media already, is awash with the fact that the Senate has rejected electronic transmission. That is not true. That is not true.
"Electronic transmission has always been in our acts. And what we did was to retain the electronic transmission which was used in 2022. So please, do not allow people to confuse you.
"If you are in doubt, we will make our final votes and proceedings available to you if you apply and you are entitled so that you will see. This Senate under my watch has not rejected electronic transmission of results. It's in my interest as a participant in the next election for such to be done. So please don't go with the crowd.
"So if we rejected what was proposed by way of amendment and said let's retain what was in the previous provision, the previous provision had made provision for electronic transmission. So it is still there as part of our laws. And I think we should be moving forward, not moving backwards.
"There is no way we can in this era of electronics, will now be going backwards. So it's important to note that", he said.
Daily Trust reports that contrary to the assertion by Akpabio that there was provision for electronic transmission in the 2022 electoral act, a check showed that there is no such provision.
The provision in the original act states: "The presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission."
Atiku, PDP, LP, CSO knock Senate over rejection of electronic transmission of results
Meanwhile, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has berated the Senate for rejecting the electronic transmission of results in the new electoral act.
Reacting to the development, the PDP described the move as shameful and harmful to the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.
Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the party, in a statement accused the Senate of deliberately delaying the process, saying the rejection shows the lawmakers were not ready to legislate for electoral sanctity.
The PDP said after an intentional and protracted delay, the Senate, while passing the amendment to the Electoral Act, rejected the electronic transmission of results at the polling units. "This rejection is most shameful and unfortunate, attracting condemnation from all democratic-minded persons.
"We charge our lawmakers to remember that they are delegates of power invested in them by the voters in their various constituencies and must endeavour to mirror their desires and wishes at all times.
"It is common knowledge that the majority of Nigerians all across the 109 Senatorial Districts desire electoral sanctity which is better guaranteed through the electronic transmission of votes from the polling units. We are all witnesses to the widespread practice of altering results before it gets to the collation centre or at the collation centre. This electronic transmission would have brought an end to this ignoble practice that has been deployed by politicians to win elections against the wishes of the people expressed through the ballot.
"This rejection is a clear indication that the National Assembly is not willing or ready to legislate for electoral sanctity and democratic consolidation. This is indeed a sad day for electoral democracy. We, hereby, call the National Assembly to immediately reconsider its stand on this matter and take steps to pass the amendment approving the electronic transmission of results.
"This is the minimum amendment that can increase faith in the electoral process, without which the apathy will be worse than the last general election, which is greatly unhelpful to democracy."
Also reacting, former Vice President and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar condemned in the strongest terms, the decision of the Nigerian Senate to reject the real-time electronic transmission of election results.
A statement by Atiku's media office described the action as "ill-advised".
"This ill-advised action represents a grave setback for electoral reform and a calculated blow against transparency, credibility, and public trust in Nigeria's democratic process.
"At a time when democracies across the world are strengthening their electoral systems through technology, the Nigerian Senate has chosen to cling to opacity, protect loopholes, and preserve a system that has historically enabled manipulation, tampering, and post-election disputes.
"Real-time electronic transmission of results is not a partisan demand; it is a democratic safeguard. It reduces human interference, limits result manipulation, and ensures that the will of the voter--expressed at the polling unit--is faithfully reflected in the final outcome.
"To reject it, and adopt the 2022 provision on so-called electronic transmission of results is to signal an unwillingness to submit elections to public scrutiny.
"This decision raises troubling questions about the commitment of the ruling political establishment to free, fair, and credible elections in 2027.
"Elections must be decided by voters--not by manual delays, backroom alterations, or procedural excuses. We call on Nigerians, civil society organisations, the media, and the international community to take note of this regression and to continue demanding an electoral system that reflects modern democratic standards.
"Nigeria deserves elections that are transparent, verifiable, and beyond manipulation. Anything less is an injustice to the electorate and a betrayal of democracy", he said.
Similarly, the Labour Party (LP) condemned the decision, describing it as "retrogressive" and "anti-people."
LP spokesperson, Ken Eluma Asogwa, said the decision was one of the worst taken by the National Assembly since Nigeria's return to democratic rule in 1999.
"The decision of the Nigerian Senate to reject the electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INEC server is one of the most retrogressive and anti-people decisions taken by the Nigerian legislature since the return to democracy in 1999," Asogwa said.
He noted that since the conduct of the 2023 general elections, Nigerians had consistently demanded the electronic transmission of results as a way of addressing electoral irregularities.
"Since the 2023 general elections, the singular and consistent clamour of the Nigerian people has been for the electronic transmission of results, as a means of checking the irregularities and hiccups witnessed during the last polls," he stated.
Questioning the rationale behind the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act, Asogwa wondered why lawmakers would jettison a key provision meant to enhance transparency.
"What, then, are lawmakers amending in the 2022 Electoral Act if the very clause required to improve transparency and credibility in our electoral process is deliberately rejected?" he asked.
According to him, resistance to reforms aimed at strengthening the electoral system could only be driven by ulterior motives.
"Only those bent on rigging the process would scorn reforms aimed at strengthening electoral integrity," he said.
The LP spokesperson also warned lawmakers against assuming that a flawed electoral system would always work in their favour.
"What makes the present lawmakers think they would always be beneficiaries of a flawed system?" Asogwa queried, adding that, "those who refuse to do the right thing today for narrow partisan interests may ultimately become victims of their own actions tomorrow."
He stressed that electoral defects had far-reaching consequences, saying, "a defective process spares no one."
Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, also slammed the Senate.
"Today, the Nigerian Senate @SenateNGR rejected electronic transmission of results, blocked the download of electronic voter cards from INEC website, reduced notice of election from 360 days to 180 days, cut down timeline for publishing list of candidates from 150 days to 60 days.
"These compressed timelines will increase the risk of logistics problems during elections. What the Senate passed today is not reform. It's a betrayal of public trust and a deliberate attempt to weaken all the guardrails for credible elections. The Senate's position sharply contrasts with the progressive position taken by the House of Reps @HouseNGR. We hope the Conference committee will reject the Senate's position and restore the progressive provisions that will make votes count in 2027", Itodo said in a post on his X handle.
Senate reduces notice of election publication timeline from 360 to 180 days
The Senate also reduced the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the notice of election from 360 days to 180 days.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Senator Tahir Monguno who moved that the earlier 360 days required for INEC to publish the notice of election be reduced to 180 days.
Monguno explained that the reduction in date was necessary to enable INEC meet up with the requirements on publication of notice, saying that it was already late if the 360 days was taken into consideration regarding the next general election.
Daily Trust reports that clause 28(1) of the states that "The Commission shall not later than 360 days before the day appointed for holding of an election under this bill, publish a notice in each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory."
With the amendment, INEC now has more time left to publish the notice for the 2027 elections.
In similar vein, the Senate amended Clause 29 (1) stating that every political party shall not later 90 days to election, submit the list of their candidates as against the 210 days proposed.
Also clause 32 (1) was amended to reduce the number of days required by INEC to publish names and details of candidates standing for from the proposed 150 days before election date to 60 days.
The Senate clause 47 (1 and 2) which proposed that a voter can use an electronically generated voter identification, including a downloadable voter's card with unique QR code or any other form of identification as may be prescribed in clause 10 of the bill.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The Senate approved that only permanent voter card (PVC) and BVAS should be accepted for the purpose of voting during election.
The Senate amended clause 77 (4) to reduce the timeline for which political parties shall make register of their members available to the commission from 30 days before elections to 7 days.
Akpabio announces conference committee, explains delay in passing bill
Meanwhile, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio has named members of the conference committee to work alongside the House of Representatives for the harmonisation of the electoral bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.
Akpabio said the committee will be chaired by Senator Simon Bako Lalong.
Other members of the committee include Senators Niyi Adegbonmire, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Abbas and Tokunbo Abiru.
There was a mild drama following the initial exclusion of Lalong from the conference committee. Senator Ali Ndume faulted the exclusion of Lalong who chaired the committee on Electoral Matters.
Following the uproar that trailed the development, Akpabio included Lalong and named him chairman. Lalong who was obviously infuriated by his earlier exclusion said he would withdraw himself from the committee.
On the delay in passing the bill, Akpabio said there was no deliberate attempt on the part of the Nigerian Senate to delay the passage of the Electoral Amendment Bill. He said the delay was to enable the lawmakers to do a painstaking and thorough job on the bill.
He said this shortly after the Senate passed the bill for third reading.
"So let me just mention the fact that there was no deliberate attempt on the part of the Nigerian Senate to delay the amendment of the electoral act. Our intention has always been to ensure that we do our best and we do it painstakingly, taking our time to ensure that what comes out reflects the yearnings and aspirations of all Nigerians. And also to be sure that the next election, all questions connected with the next election will be answered by the amendments to the electoral act 2022", he said.
What next after passage?
Following the passage of the electoral bill, a conference committee from both the Senate and that of the House of Representatives will sit to harmonise the differences between what was passed by the House earlier and that of the Senate.
After this, the harmonised version will be brought before both chambers for lawmakers to approve after which the clean copy of the approved harmonised version will be transmitted to the president for assent.
If assented to by the president, it becomes an electoral act, ready for implementation.
UPDATE NEWS:
Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, click here to find out how it works.
