The Senate on Thursday moved to clarify its stance on the electronic transmission of election results following public backlash over Wednesday’s deliberations on the 2026 Electoral Bill.
Thirteen senators, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, addressed the press to defend Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the chamber, assuring Nigerians that the Senate has not rejected the provision for electronic result transmission.
The controversy arose when the Senate removed the proposed Section 60(3) of the bill, which would have allowed for real-time transmission of results from polling units to the IREV portal immediately after the prescribed Form EC8A is signed and stamped by presiding officers or polling agents. Media reports widely interpreted the amendment as a rejection of electronic transmission, prompting criticism from citizens and observers.
Senator Abaribe clarified that the Senate did not abandon electronic transmission. “To put the record straight, yesterday (Wednesday), the Senate did not, I repeat, did not pass transfer of results which was in the 2022 Act. What we passed… is electronic transmission of results,” he said. He added that both the Electoral Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee of the Senate, along with members in the Executive Session, had agreed on the provision, which would be monitored through to presidential assent.
Senator Abdul Ningi described the reports that the Senate had rejected electronic transmission as “very painful” and reaffirmed that the chamber has consistently supported legal provisions for electronic transmission since the process for the new Electoral Act began in September 2025. “This negative trajectory against the Senate and by extension the National Assembly should stop. We shall ensure that Section 60(3) of the 2026 Electoral Bill follows what will be transmitted to the president for assent,” he said.
Other senators who joined the briefing included Austin Akobundu, Peter Jiya, Ireti Kingibe, Victor Umeh, Binos Yaroe, Kabeeb Mustapha, Khalid Mustapha, Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Tony Nwoye, and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The group collectively reassured Nigerians that the provision for electronic transmission remains intact and will be fully monitored through the legislative and assent process.
