The Senate has approved an amended Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, allowing presiding officers to electronically transmit election results from polling units after Form EC8A has been duly completed and signed.
The decision followed a motion by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno seeking to rescind the chamber’s earlier rejection of mandatory real-time electronic transmission.
Under the approved clause, electronic transmission is permitted where technology is functional and feasible. In cases of technical failure or impossibility, the signed and stamped Form EC8A will serve as the primary source of results.
The passage generated debate on the Senate floor. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe initially called for a division but later withdrew the request.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio had earlier constituted a 12-member conference committee—chaired by Senator Simon Lalong—to harmonise the Senate’s version with the House of Representatives’ position, directing them to conclude swiftly for presidential assent by the end of February.
The Senate insists the amendment does not abolish electronic transmission but makes it discretionary in situations of network failure, grid collapse, or insecurity—conditions prevalent in many parts of Nigeria.
The development comes amid sustained public protests, including demonstrations led by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, demanding mandatory real-time transmission to INEC’s IReV portal to enhance transparency and prevent manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The harmonised bill, once finalized by both chambers, will determine whether real-time electronic transmission becomes compulsory or remains subject to INEC’s operational discretion.
The Senate’s move signals an attempt to balance technological advancement with practical realities on the ground while addressing widespread concerns over electoral integrity.
