…Allows digital upload with manual backup
The Senate yesterday reopened the door to electronic transmission of election results, reversing its earlier decision that excluded the provision from the Electoral Act amendment, following a tense and rowdy plenary session.
At an emergency sitting, the upper chamber rescinded its approval of Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026, and re-amended the law to permit electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
However, the amendment stops short of making e-transmission mandatory, providing that manually completed Form EC8-A will serve as the basis for collation where internet or network challenges occur.
The reversal followed a motion moved by the Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno-North), who said a post-passage review of the Bill revealed concerns that required urgent legislative attention. He argued that revisiting the clause would remove ambiguities and better align the law with public expectations and the credibility of the electoral process. “This amendment is meant to ensure that our laws reflect the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians”, Monguno told the chamber.
The Motion was seconded by Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro.
Debate on the Motion quickly turned contentious when Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) raised a point of order, questioning the procedure for reopening a concluded clause and insisting that senators should be allowed to vote individually. His objection triggered loud exchanges and stalled proceedings for about ten minutes as lawmakers argued over parliamentary rules.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio repeatedly appealed for calm before order was restored. Afterward, Abaribe declined to formally pursue his point of order, allowing plenary to continue.
The Motion was eventually put to a voice vote by Akpabio, with the majority of senators voting in favour of the reversal.
