Senate Passes Electoral Act Amendment, Rejects Mandatory E-Transmission of Results Ahead of 2027 Polls
The Senate has passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 but rejected a key proposal seeking to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The bill was passed on Wednesday after its third reading, following sustained pressure from the media and other stakeholders to amend Nigeria’s electoral framework. However, lawmakers voted against an amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, which would have compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit results from polling units in real time.
The rejected provision proposed that presiding officers upload results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after Form EC8A had been completed, signed and counter-signed by party agents.
In a swift clarification, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the Senate did not remove electronic transmission entirely but retained the provision as contained in the 2022 Electoral Act.
According to him, the extant law allows INEC the discretion to determine the mode of transmitting results.
Under the retained provision, “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.”
The Senate’s decision has continued to draw mixed reactions, with critics arguing that mandatory electronic transmission is crucial for transparency and credibility, while supporters insist that giving INEC flexibility is consistent with existing law.
The amendment bill will now proceed to the next legislative stage in line with constitutional requirements. Read More
