BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS
The National Assembly on Tuesday approved the electronic transmission of election results while retaining manual collation as a backup, a decision that triggered protests, a walkout by opposition lawmakers, and heated debates in both chambers ahead of the 2027 general elections.
What began as a legislative review of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill quickly evolved into a dramatic plenary session, exposing sharp partisan divisions.
Senate Proceedings
In the Senate, 15 lawmakers led by Enyinnaya Abaribe opposed a proviso in Clause 60(3), which recognises the manually completed Form EC8A as the primary basis for collation if electronic transmission fails.
The disputed clause states that polling unit results shall be electronically transmitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after Form EC8A is duly signed and stamped. However, where electronic transmission is disrupted by communication failure, the signed Form EC8A will serve as the primary source for collation and declaration of results.
Abaribe demanded a formal division, insisting senators publicly record their votes.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele supported the request, affirming that it was within procedural rights. Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently put the matter to a vote.
Fifty-five senators voted in favour of retaining the manual backup provision, while Abaribe and 14 others opposed it. The majority carried the day.
For the second time in two weeks, the Senate endorsed electronic transmission with manual collation as a fallback mechanism.
In practical terms, results will be uploaded electronically to IReV, but where technology fails, the manually completed and signed Form EC8A prevails.
Adjustment to Election Timelines
Earlier, the Senate rescinded its previous passage of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026, citing inconsistencies.
Lawmakers amended Clause 28, reducing the mandatory election notice period from 360 days to 300 days before polling. The adjustment provides the electoral body with greater flexibility in scheduling the 2027 elections.
Akpabio’s Remarks
Akpabio described the approval of electronic transmission to the IReV portal as a landmark development, noting that it enhances transparency by enabling observers to monitor polling unit results remotely.
He commended both majority and minority senators, stating that the debate reflected democratic engagement.
House of Representatives Walkout
In the House of Representatives, tensions escalated during deliberations on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Minority lawmakers protested the retention of manual backup provisions and staged a walkout led by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda.
Chinda maintained that electronic transmission should be mandatory without exceptions and argued that electronically transmitted results must take precedence over manually completed forms in cases of conflict.
Debate Over Party Primaries
Another contentious issue was Section 84, which recognises only direct primaries and consensus for candidate selection.
Opposition lawmakers objected, insisting that political parties should retain the freedom to choose between direct, indirect primaries, or consensus.
Protests Outside NASS
Outside the National Assembly complex, demonstrators gathered to express concerns over the amendments. Among them was former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili, who called for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results.
She argued that removing discretion from the transmission process is essential to safeguarding electoral integrity.
Next Steps
With differing versions passed by both chambers, the bill proceeds to the conference committee for harmonisation before transmission to the President.
The debates surrounding Clause 60 underscore the broader national conversation on balancing technological innovation with procedural safeguards in Nigeria’s electoral process as the 2027 elections approach.
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2026-02-17