The Senate on Tuesday again approved electronic transmission of election results, but retained manual collation as a backup, after a tense plenary session that saw 15 lawmakers oppose the controversial proviso in Clause 60 of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026.
The decision followed a dramatic division on the floor, with 55 senators voting to retain the manual fallback clause, while Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC/Abia South) and 14 others stood against it.
The upper chamber had earlier passed the bill but was compelled to rescind its decision and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole after fresh concerns were raised about discrepancies in several clauses and the timing of the 2027 general elections announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Tuesday’s plenary was dominated by renewed disagreement over Clause 60, which deals with the transmission and collation of election results.
Proceedings resumed with Abaribe demanding a division on the clause, triggering a rowdy session. The Abia South lawmaker had made a similar attempt during last week’s emergency plenary but withdrew under pressure, drawing public criticism and murmurs within the chamber.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, while intervening, urged calm.
“Whether or not he has done that in the past, it is within his (Abaribe’s) rights to call for it. Let us allow him,” Bamidele said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio reminded lawmakers of Abaribe’s earlier failed bid.
“People were mocking you on social media,” Akpabio said, noting that the previous demand had been withdrawn.
Opposition senators immediately objected, insisting that the matter was properly before the Senate.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, citing Order 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, argued that revisiting a provision already ruled upon would be out of order. His submission sparked further uproar, during which Senator Sunday Karimi briefly confronted Abaribe.
Bamidele, however, reminded colleagues that he had formally moved a motion for rescission, meaning earlier decisions on the bill were no longer valid. He maintained that Abaribe’s call for a division was consistent with that motion.
55 Vs 15 As The Majority Prevails
Following heated exchanges, Akpabio put the matter to a vote.
Senators supporting the manual backup proviso in Clause 60(3) were asked to indicate by raising their hands. Fifty-five lawmakers, including Senate Deputy Minority Leader Lere Oyewunmi, stood in support.
Those opposed, favouring real-time electronic transmission without a manual fallback, were Abaribe and 14 others.
With the majority prevailing, the manual backup clause was retained.
Under the amended provision, the manually completed and signed Form EC8A will serve as the primary basis for collation and declaration of results where electronic transmission is disrupted by network or communication challenges.
While polling unit results are to be uploaded electronically to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV), manual documentation remains legally decisive where technology fails.
Rescission Over The 2027 Election Date, Discrepancies
Before the division, the Senate had reversed its earlier passage of the bill and recommitted it for fresh consideration.
Rising under Order 52(6), Bamidele moved that the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026, be rescinded and returned to the Committee of the Whole.
He explained that the motion followed INEC’s announcement fixing the 2027 general elections for February 2027. According to him, stakeholders had raised concerns that the date could conflict with statutory timelines and affect inclusiveness.
Bamidele also warned that holding elections during Ramadan could negatively impact voter turnout, logistics and overall credibility.
He further cited discrepancies in the bill’s Long Title and multiple clausesincluding Clauses 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93 and 143affecting cross-referencing, numbering and internal consistency.
The rescission nullified all prior legislative actions on the bill, allowing the Senate to start afresh. However, despite the clause-by-clause reconsideration, the outcome on electronic transmission remained unchanged.
Following the defeat of the minority bloc, some aggrieved lawmakers walked out of plenary.
The renewed approval comes one week after intense public pressure, protests and criticism from civil society groups, youth movements and opposition figures, who had accused lawmakers of attempting to weaken electoral safeguards ahead of the 2027 polls.
Although electronic transmission was restored, the Senate stopped short of making real-time uploads compulsory.
Presiding officers are required to upload polling unit results to IReV after voting and documentation. Where electronic transmission is not possible due to network challenges, the manually completed Form EC8A will serve as the official basis for collation.
After the division, Akpabio commended both sides.
“Let me thank distinguished senators for their patriotism and display of democracy.
“Those in the minority showed courage by standing against the proviso, and those in the majority ensured the primary mode of election results remains the Form EC8A. Elections are won and lost at polling units, not collation centres,” he said.
He described electronic transmission as a landmark innovation that allows election monitors, including foreign observers, to track results without physically visiting Nigeria’s over 176,000 polling units.
Akpabio did not comment on whether the 2027 presidential election date would shift from February 20 to January 13, fueling speculation in political circles.
Meanwhile, protests continued at the National Assembly complex, with demonstrators under the banner of Occupy the National Assembly warning lawmakers against any action that could undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.
