Senate Bows To Pressure, Approves Electronic Transmission Of Results In Re-amended Electoral Act

By Ayodele Oni

Committee Reconstituted

Bowing to public outcry and criticism, the Senate, on Tuesday, re-amended the Electoral Act to accommodate the electronic transmission of results.

The green chamber had earlier, during the first passage, rejected the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV) after vote counting.

This is just as it reconstituted a 12-member Electoral Act Conference Committee to harmonise differences in the proposed amendments to the Electoral Act.

With this move, the upper chamber has accommodated the Electoral Act to include the electronic transmission of results.

However, the provision comes with a caveat that, in the event of internet failure, Form EC8A will serve as the primary means of result collation.

Despite the change, the amendment does not make electronic transmission mandatory.

Instead, it allows results to be transmitted electronically, while providing an alternative in cases of network failure.

The decision followed a motion moved by the Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, during an emergency plenary session.

Mr Monguno (APC, Borno North) said the decision to rescind the Senate’s earlier rejection of electronic transmission was informed by the need for the Electoral Act to reflect the wishes of Nigerians.

“This amendment is to bring our laws to make it a replica of the wishes and aspirations of the people,” he said. The Minority Leader, Abba Moro, seconded the motion.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, subsequently put the motion to a voice vote, which was supported by a majority of lawmakers.

With the latest amendment, the Senate has effectively admitted that its earlier version of the amendment was passed without a provision for electronic transmission of results.

The new chairman of the reconstituted  12-member Electoral Act Conference Committee is Simon Bako Lalong.

The committee is expected to interface with its counterpart in the House of Representatives to reconcile discrepancies in the amendment bill and produce a unified version for final legislative approval.

The President of the Senate announced the members of the committee during an emergency plenary session.

The conference committee will review areas of divergence between the versions passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and resolve contentious clauses before presenting a harmonised document for adoption.

Slenator Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Tahir Mungono are also members of the Committee.

The development is part of broader legislative efforts to refine Nigeria’s electoral legal framework ahead of future elections, including the 2027 general polls.

Lawmakers expressed confidence that the harmonisation process would address grey areas in the bill and improve transparency, credibility and operational efficiency in the conduct of elections across the country.

The harmonised version, once agreed upon by both chambers, will be transmitted for final approval in line with legislative procedures.