Reactions As Senate Okays E-Transmission Of Results, Retains Manual Collation As Backup

The Senate on Tuesday approved the electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), while allowing manual collation to serve as a fallback in cases where the technology fails.

The decision reversed an earlier vote that had removed provisions for electronic transmission from the Electoral Act amendment.

Following the reversal, the upper chamber re-amended the Act to permit electronic transmission of results, introducing safeguards to address potential network or technical failures.

Under the new provision, electronic transmission is permitted but not mandatory. Where internet or communication failures occur, the manually completed Form EC8A will serve as the primary tool for the collation and declaration of results.

The move followed a motion by Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) during an emergency plenary session. Monguno said the amendment was intended to align the Electoral Act with Nigerians’ wishes.

“This amendment is to bring our laws to make it a replica of the wishes and aspirations of the people,” he said.

The motion was seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (Benue South).

Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the motion to a voice vote, and it was overwhelmingly supported.

During the clause-by-clause review of the Electoral Act amendment last week, Monguno had requested that Clause 60 of the 2022 Act—which allows results to be transmitted to collation centres—be retained.

Disagreements emerged when he moved to rescind the Senate’s approval of Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026, concerning electronic transmission procedures.

While electronic transmission is now recognised as the primary method, manual submission via Form EC8A is allowed only in the event of technical failure, effectively correcting the omission in the Senate’s earlier version of the Act.

Following the plenary, Akpabio announced a 12-member conference committee to reconcile differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives on the amendment.

Members include Senator Simon Bako Lalong (chairman), Senators Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Iya Abbas, Tokunbo Abiru, Niyi Adegbonmire (SAN), Jibrin Isah, Ipalibo Banigo, and Onyekachi Nwebonyi.

Akpabio urged the committee to treat the assignment with urgency, expressing optimism that the process could be concluded within a week, so that President Bola Tinubu can sign the amended Electoral Bill into law this month.

The emergency plenary was convened amid nationwide backlash over the Senate’s earlier amendments, particularly the removal of the requirement for real-time electronic transmission.

Protests, including the Occupy National Assembly demonstration in Abuja on Monday and yesterday, drew participation from several civil society groups, opposition parties, and prominent figures such as Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi, who demanded real-time transmission of election results to strengthen transparency.

Akpabio clarified that the Senate had not rejected electronic transmission but removed the term “real-time” to prevent legal complications arising from network failures and to allow INEC operational flexibility.

While critics argue that the amendment weakens transparency, several senators maintained that the majority support electronic transmission, with disagreement limited to wording rather than principle.

 

Tinubu Expected To Sign Amended Electoral Bill This Month, – Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said that President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the amended Electoral Act into law this month.

Akpabio made the remark on Tuesday during an emergency plenary session, where lawmakers constituted a 12-member committee to harmonise the Senate’s version of the bill with that passed by the House of Representatives.

The session followed widespread backlash over some amendments to the Act.

“I believe that if you are able to conclude this in the next few days or one week, the president should be able to sign this amended Electoral Bill into an Act of Parliament within this month of February,” Akpabio told the lawmakers.

 

 Lawyers Express Divergent Views

A few hours after the Senate approved manual and electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Act 2026, some lawyers have expressed divergent views on the decision.

While some applauded the move, others said there was room for manipulation of results with the manual transmission.

According to them, in this age and time that the world has gone digital, Nigeria shouldn’t be talking about the manual transmission of election results.

Abdul Balogun, SAN, said one would have thought the country would move with the rest of the world.

According to him, allowing manual transmission gives manipulation of  results a chance during the election.

He said, “Nigeria should be progressing in terms of the conduct of our elections, not regressing.”

Professor of Law, Eric Adagbata, condemned the manual transmission of results.

He said it shouldn’t have been considered by the National Assembly at this time and age.

To him, Nigeria should be looking forward and not looking backwards, adding that the country cannot afford not to get it right again in 2027.

Constitutional lawyer, Igene A. Amos, called for caution.

He argued that the country had not advanced to the level where it would have electronic transmission of results.

He acknowledged that a manual transmission encouraged manipulation of results, but called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to live up to its responsibilities and ensure there is no manipulation of election results.

Dr Wahab Shittu (SAN) warned that the Senate approval risks “legislative encroachment into constitutionally protected operational space” if it limits INEC’s discretion on methods.

He stated that the Senate’s approval of both manual and electronic result transmission creates a hybrid legal framework that allows neither method to be exclusive.

“The main legal issue is whether this balance appropriately allocates legislative power and INEC’s constitutional discretion.

“From the standpoint of electoral integrity, electronic transmission is widely acknowledged as a mechanism capable of improving transparency, speed, and public trust in the electoral process. Manual transmission, by contrast, has historically been associated with vulnerabilities, including the potential for result alteration and logistical inefficiencies.

Another lawyer , Professor Ernest Ojukwu (SAN) described the Senate’s approval of both manual and electronic modes of transmission of election results as a mixed bag.

Ojukwu said, “On one hand, it may be intended to provide a backup plan in case of technical glitches or network challenges, ensuring the electoral process isn’t hindered. On the other hand, it may create loopholes for manipulation, as manual collation can be prone to errors or tampering.’

The electronic transmission to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) aims to increase transparency and allow citizens to track elections more easily. However, the absence of a real-time transmission clause may undermine this goal.

 

 CSOs Kick As Senate Approves E-transmission, Manual Collation Of Election Results

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including Yiaga Africa, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Transition Monitoring Group, Transparency International, as well as the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD West Africa), have kicked against the Senate’s approval of both electronic transmission and manual collation of election results.

The Senate on Tuesday approved the electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal, while allowing manual collation as a backup when technology fails.

However, the executive director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, said the conditions in the clause signal an electoral setback and weaken the safeguards in the 2022 Electoral Act.

He told LEADERSHIP that electronic transmission with embedded loopholes undermines electoral integrity.

For his part, the executive director of CISLAC and head of the Transition Monitoring Group, as well as Transparency International, Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani, said the Red Chamber of the National Assembly succeeded in creating conditions for electoral manipulation and fraud.

“What the Senate did was to succeed in creating conditions for the possibility of electoral manipulation, electoral fraud, and rigging by giving this ambiguous way of continuing with the analogue result transmission.”

To the executive director of CDD-West Africa, Dr Gauda Garuba, the upper chamber’s action signified a coup against Nigerians.

“I watched the Senate session live on ChannelsTV during the consideration of the bill. The upper chamber, through a clear manipulation of its leadership, did a coup against Nigerians. Replacing ‘transmission’ with ‘transfer’ and deleting ‘real time’ was never intended by the drafters of the Electoral Act 2022 (Amendment) Bill.

Amaechi, Son Joins Day-2 of Protest At NASS

Former Rivers State governor and ex-minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and son joined protesters in Abuja on Tuesday as demonstrations against the Senate’s rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results entered their second day.

The protests, taking place at the National Assembly Complex, began on Monday, with one group led by Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election.

 

Amaechi, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) like Obi, said political leaders must take the lead in major protests and be prepared to involve their families.

He called on Nigerians to stand up to the Senate and urged opposition parties to unite behind the protest.

According to Amaechi, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is resisting the electronic transmission of results out of fear of losing elections.

He argued that the ruling party has no reason to fear the process, noting that several governors and prominent politicians continue to defect to the APC.

Amaechi added that opposition parties and civil society organisations would sustain the protests, regardless of the response of Senate President Godswill Akpabio or President Bola Tinubu.

Comparing current conditions with the period he served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Amaechi said living standards have worsened.

He further alleged that corruption has increased under the Tinubu administration.

 

When asked if he thought Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election, Amaechi replied: “Let’s wait and see”, adding that it would be impossible for the president to secure re-election. “The will of the people must prevail,” he said.

ACF: North Supports E-Transmission Of Election Results

The apex northern socio-cultural organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has declared that the region supports the electronic transmission of election results, urging the National Assembly to pass the bill without delay.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP over the 2026 Electoral Amendment Bill, ACF national publicity secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, on Tuesday, said the forum would always support any electoral reforms or law that would strengthen democracy in Nigeria.

ACF said, “From a broader perspective, what has brought us to this place? And what has brought us is the alleged tampering with provisions passed by the National Assembly in respect of the new electoral law. Now, I have a broader perspective because this is not the first time. What is imagined is, and we hope it’s not true. If it is true, we hope it will stop. But once the legislature, the National Assembly, or any of its arms, passes laws, what goes on beyond that is tampered with. This is forgery.”

The forum and the decisions of the National Assembly, which should be sacrosanct and sacred in relation to the legislative process, should not be tampered with.

 

“ It happened with the tax laws. We just thought we had gotten over it. And now this is coming. So more than the incident of tampering with the electoral law is the broader pattern that is imagined.”

On his part, former Secretary General of the apex northern socio-cultural organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, said though electronic elections and exclusive transmission of results from the polling units to collation centres is good, “but because the national  internet coverage is not more than 50%,exclusive transmission of results from polling units to collation centers could be counter productive.

“This is because network challenges are observed in many communities.We also witness such challenges in towns and banks.”

“Therefore, the Senate is very considerate in its rejection of exclusive transmission of results lest many registered  voters be denied their right to vote due to problems posed by challenges associated with the network,” he said.

South, Middle Belt Leaders Back Real-time Electronic Transmission Of Poll Results

The Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF) has strongly called for the retention of Clause 60 of the 2026 Electoral Amendment Bill, which makes real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory, as passed by the House of Representatives.

SMBLF said the bill was harmonised by the Joint Conference Committee of the National Assembly of the Bill.

The forum explained that mandatory electronic transmission of results can block opportunities for result manipulation during movement from polling units.

The forum, while describing free, fair, and transparent elections as the foundation of democracy, warned that any attempt to weaken the foundation was a direct attack on the sovereignty of the Nigerian people.

SMBLF’s position was contained in a statement issued by it leader and leader of Afenifere, HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan, on Monday, said the process would strengthen public trust in elections and democratic governance, and ensure citizens’ votes, particularly in vulnerable communities, are better protected.

Others who signed the statement were President, Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Sen. John Azuta-Mbata and National Chairman, PANDEF, Ambassador Godknows Igali.

Parts of the statement read, “The Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF) hereby joins other patriotic citizens and groups to strongly call for the retention of Clause 60 of the 2026 Electoral Amendment Bill, which makes real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory, as passed by the House of Representatives and as harmonised by the Joint Conference Committee of the National Assembly of the Bill.”

“Free, fair, and transparent elections are the foundation of democracy. Any attempt to weaken this foundation is a direct attack on the sovereignty of the Nigerian people.

“At the heart of this matter is the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which was introduced to ensure transparency by allowing citizens to view polling unit results in real time”

The statement stated, “When properly backed by law, IReV removes secrecy, manipulation, and post-election confusion. The SMBLF notes with deep concern that a broad section of the Senate has openly affirmed (both during executive sessions and in plenary) that it voted in favour of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results”

“However, we are alarmed by credible claims that the Senate President tampered with the final version, leading to the appearance of an unauthorized bill that excludes this crucial provision.”

SMBLF further said, “Of particular importance is the public affirmation by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Minority Leader of the Senate and Senator representing Abia South Senatorial Zone.

‘He has clearly stated that what the Senate passed as its final bill made electronic, real-time transmission of results mandatory, only for a different version—one that excluded this provision—to surface later”

“This is unacceptable in a democratic legislature.

We recall that during the 2023 presidential election petition, the Supreme Court relied on Section 60(5) of the 2022 Electoral Act, which made electronic transmission optional. The apex court ruled that it was at INEC’s discretion whether or not to transmit results electronically

That legal loophole must not be repeated. The law must be clear, firm, and mandatory.

“All patriotic Nigerians must demand clear answers from their Senators on where they stand. Transparent voting is the bloodline of democracy, and any Senator who opposes real-time electronic transmission of results does not deserve a return to the Senate.

“One common excuse often raised is that some parts of Nigeria lack telecom coverage. INEC itself has debunked this claim, explaining that the BVAS has inbuilt offline technology that stores results and uploads them once connectivity is available. This was proven during the 2023 general elections, until the system was deliberately sabotaged during the presidential poll, as most Nigerians believe.

“The SMBLF insists on mandatory electronic transmission of results for the following reasons: Such transmission blocks opportunities for result manipulation during movement from polling units.

The process strengthens public trust in elections and democratic governance. Citizens’ votes, particularly in vulnerable communities, are better protected.”

The forum added, “Post-election violence and protracted legal disputes are significantly reduced. It also compels leaders to respect and serve the people who elected them. When elections are compromised, leaders emerge who feel no accountability to the people.

“Finally, we want to strongly warn the Senate not to undermine the will of the Nigerian electorate by toying with the future of our democracy.

The Senate must assume the people are powerless or forgetful as the  Nigerian people are watching,” SMBLF said.

It added that if leaders were certain that votes truly counted, reckless, negligent, and indifferent attitude to governance would not thrive.

Also, SMBLF also condemned the Woro killings in Kwara state and insisted that the government has a non-negotiable duty to bring the perpetrators of the massacre and similar crimes to justice.

“That tragedy is one too many. In serious countries, such failure would have forced a government to resign. It is for this persistent insecurity that the SMBLF has consistently called for state police, as centralized policing has clearly failed.”

Finally, it argued that Nigeria cannot get it right without proper restructuring.

“The SMBLF remains firmly committed to restructuring Nigeria largely based on the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference (National Conference on Political Reform),” the statement said.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jika Jiddere, told our correspondent that the forum would not comment on the issue for now.

“We don’t just speak like that, you know? That’s what I’m telling you. I don’t have a personal opinion. My view is always the position of the Northern Elders Forum.

“We sit, analyze, synthesize, and decide what position we are going to take. We have our procedure of making decisions. We bring out our position formally. Formally and I will issue a press release formally in respect of anything. So for now I can’t comment on the issue.”