After pressure from the media and other stakeholders, the Senate, yesterday, passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill but rejected electronic transmission of results, an item that some stakeholders consider critical for free and fair elections in 2027.
The Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 after the third reading. It rejected a proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the bill, which sought to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
But Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said in a swift reaction that the Senate retained transmission of results as provided in the 2022 Act.
The rejected provision would have required presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to electronically transmit results from each polling unit to the IReV portal in real time, after the prescribed Form EC8A had been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and counter-signed by candidates’ agents.
Instead, the Senate adopted the existing provision of the Electoral Act, which states that “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.”
Rejects 10-year jail term for PVC traders
Earlier, the upper chamber rejected a proposed 10-year jail term for buyers and sellers of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, under Clause 22, opting instead to retain a two-year imprisonment term, while increasing the fine from N2 million to N5.
The decision was taken during consideration of Clause 22 of the Electoral Amendment Bill.
The lawmakers also amended Clause 28 on the notice of election, reducing the timeline from 360 days to 180 days.
The original provision required the commission to publish a notice of election in each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory not later than 360 days before the election date.
In Clause 29, the Senate reduced the timeline for the submission of lists of candidates and their affidavits by political parties from 180 days to 90 days.
The amended provision states that “every political party shall, not later than 90 days before the date appointed for a general election under this Act, submit to the Commission, in the prescribed forms, the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections, who shall have emerged from valid primaries conducted by the political party.”
The Senate also retained the provision on the format of ballot papers contained in Clause 44. Under the clause, the INEC is required, not later than 20 days before an election, to invite in writing any political party that nominated a candidate to inspect its identity on samples of relevant electoral materials.
Political parties are allowed to respond in writing within two days, indicating approval or disapproval of how their identity appears on the samples.
Under Clause 47, the Senate replaced smart card readers with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation and voting.
However, after extensive debate, lawmakers rejected electronically generated voter identification and adopted the Permanent Voter’s Card as the mode of identification at polling units.
Meanwhile, the Senate struck out Clause 142 on the effect of non-compliance, which provided that “it shall not be necessary for a party who alleges non-compliance with the provisions of this Bill for the conduct of elections to call oral evidence if originals or certified true copies of relevant documents manifestly disclose the non-compliance alleged.”
The provision was removed, following arguments that it would amount to a waste of time in court.
To become law, the Senate and House of Representatives will harmonise their versions and transmit it to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
LP, PDP, Atiku, George, Okorie slam Senate
Meanwhile, the Labour Party, LP; Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George; and founder of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Chekwas Okorie, criticised the Senate for rejecting electronic transmission of results.
Senate blocking real-time results to protect incumbents — Atiku
Also reacting last night, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, condemned the Senate’s rejection of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, describing the move as a deliberate assault on electoral transparency and a strategy that favours incumbents, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by his Media Office, Atiku said the decision represented a serious setback for electoral reform and undermined public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
The statement read: “This ill-advised action represents a grave setback for electoral reform and a calculated blow against transparency, credibility, and public trust in Nigeria’s democratic process.
“At a time when democracies across the world are strengthening their electoral systems through technology, the Nigerian Senate has chosen to cling to opacity, protect loopholes, and preserve a system that has historically enabled manipulation, tampering, and post-election disputes.
“Real-time electronic transmission of results is not a partisan demand; it is a democratic safeguard. It reduces human interference, limits result manipulation, and ensures that the will of the voter—expressed at the polling unit—is faithfully reflected in the final outcome.
“To reject it, and adopt the 2022 provision on so-called electronic transmission of results is to signal an unwillingness to submit elections to public scrutiny.’’
It’s a betrayal of Nigerians — LP
The LP described the rejection of electronic transfer of results by the Senate as a shameful betrayal of Nigerians by persons elected to represent them.
Mr. Ken Asogwa, Special Adviser to the Interim National Chairman of the Senator Nenadi Usman-led LP, said this while responding to the Senate decision.
He said: “The decision of the Senate to reject electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INEC server is one of the most retrogressive and anti-people decisions taken by the Nigerian legislature since the return to democracy in 1999.
“Since the 2023 general elections, the singular and consistent clamour of the Nigerian people has been for the electronic transmission of results, as a means of checking irregularities and hiccups witnessed during the last polls.
“What, then, are lawmakers amending in the 2022 Electoral Act if the very clause required to improve transparency and credibility in our electoral process is deliberately rejected?
“Only those bent on rigging the process will scorn reforms aimed at strengthening electoral integrity.
Lawmakers toying with Nigeria’s stability — Okorie
Speaking in a similar vein, Chief Chekwas Okorie described the Senate action as an affront on the sensibilities of Nigerians.
He wondered why the National Assembly chose to live “in the Stone Age” while the rest of the world iwas making steady progress towards technology and modernisation.
His words: “I’m not surprised but disappointed that the Senate has decided to be a cog in the wheel of Nigeria’s democratic progress.
“This National Assembly has since its inauguration in 2023 left no one in doubt that it swore an oath to be a rubber stamp of the current executive.
“While they are at it, they must bear in mind that Nigeria is better than all of us, it is bigger than the ruling party and every trick it is plotting to use to deny Nigerians the right to freely elect their leaders come 2027.
“This is a call for all Nigerians to be vigilant because vigilance is the eternal price we must pay to protect our democratic rights.
“We will mobilise, organise and ensure that the sanctity of our votes is protected from the polling booths to the units, wards up till the collation centre. No glitch will be allowed to deny Nigerians the right results.”
Senate’s decision shameful, harmful to democratic consolidation —PDP
Also faulting the Senate, the Turaki-led PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ini Ememobong, said: “Today, after an intentional and protracted delay, the Senate, while passing the amendment to the Electoral Act, rejected electronic transmission of results at the polling units.
‘’This rejection is most shameful and unfortunate, attracting condemnation from all democratic-minded persons.
“We charge our lawmakers to remember that they are delegates of power invested in them by the voters in their various constituencies and must endeavour to mirror their desires and wishes at all times.
‘’It is common knowledge that majority of Nigerians all across the 109 Senatorial Districts desire electoral sanctity which is better guaranteed through the electronic transmission of votes from the polling units.
‘’We are all witnesses to the widespread practice of altering results before it gets to the collation centre or at the collation centre. This electronic transmission would have brought an end to this ignoble practice that has been deployed by politicians to win elections against the wishes of the people expressed through the ballot.
“This rejection is a clear indication that the National Assembly is not willing or ready to legislate for electoral sanctity and democratic consolidation. This is indeed a sad day for electoral democracy.
“We hereby call the National Assembly to immediately reconsider its stand on this matter and take steps to pass the amendment approving the electronic transmission of results.”
Senate’s rejection, an abomination, shocking — Bode George
Faulting the Senate for shooting down the electronic transmission of results for the 2027 general elections, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George, said the rejection remained a shock.
He said: “Now, this is the greatest shock, it is, this year is a very, very critical year for political activities. To hear that there is an electronic transition, you can have options: you can do it, or you cannot do it. It is sending Nigeria completely back into the Stone Age.
“We want justice, we want fairness, and we want equity. I am absolutely disgusted and disappointed about this. Our lawmakers, are they lawmakers or lawbreakers? So, how can you be talking when everybody is heading in a direction of civility, direction of decency, direction of calmness, to make sure that the people who will manage the affairs of this country are genuinely elected by the people? What is going on? You are telling us you want to bury Nigeria; this is the beginning of this election year.
“I am utterly, absolutely disappointed. I am a computer and electronics engineer. You see the whole world, you see the AI, you see this, you see, go to the Qatar airport and see how electronics, digitalisation of things are moving.
When you get to certain airports in the world, you don’t see any human beings. So, where are these people coming from? They want to be elected through the wuruwuru means? No. I am appealing to the Senate President to revisit it and go in the direction that would encourage millions of Nigerians to participate in electing the people who will manage the resources of this country for their benefit.
“What you are telling us is you don’t need you, because you know what happened in the past, they will manipulate the results.
We didn’t reject electronic transmission of election results —Akpabio
However, faced with a barrage of criticisms, the Senate denied rejecting electronic transmission of election results during consideration of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
The clarification came from the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, shortly after the upper chamber passed the bill, following a marathon session lasting about five hours.
Consideration of the contentious amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the bill began at about 2pm and stretched till 6.26pm, fueling speculations online that lawmakers had voted against mandatory electronic transmission of results.
Akpabio insisted that the interpretation was misleading, stressing that the Senate did not remove electronic transmission from the law.
He said: “Distinguished colleagues, the social media is already awash with reports that the Senate has literally rejected electronic transmission of results. That is not true. What we did was to retain the electronic transmission that was in the Act and was used in 2022.
“So please, do not allow people to confuse you. If you are in doubt, we will make our final votes and proceedings available to you upon request.
“This Senate under my watch, has not rejected the electronic transmission of results. It is in my interest as a participant in the next election for such to be done. So, please don’t go with the crowd.
INEC vows to sanitise voters register, says dead men don’t vote
Before the Senate passed the bill, the INEC had earlier urged speedy passage of the law disclosing that it had finalised work on the election timetable and schedule of activities.with the old law.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday, at separate meetings with Media Executives and Civil Society Organizations CSOs.
While he noted that INEC has made its submissions to the National Assembly, Amupitan conceded that some items in the schedule of activities could be impacted by the time the lawmakers pass the Electoral Act.
We’re on our toes – Amupitan
Addressing the gatherings, Prof. Amupitan emphasised that the Commission is not resting on its oars while waiting for the legislature, disclosing that the roadmap for the next general election is ready, in line with statutory requirements.
“The Time-table and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Elections has been finalized in full compliance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and the Electoral Act, 2022,” the INEC chairman stated.
However, he pointed out the necessity of a finished legal framework to guide the process, saying: “We seek your support in urging the National Assembly to expedite action on the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.”
‘Dead men don’t vote’
Amupitan also stressed that the integrity of the 93.4 million voters currently on the register must be protected from “anomalies” that undermine public trust.
“Persistent challenges — including duplicate registrations, underage registration, registration by non-citizens, deceased voters and incomplete or inaccurate records — continue to generate legitimate concerns.”
To rectify this, he said: “The Commission will embark on a thorough clean-up with a view to further sanitising and strengthening the integrity of the register. Accordingly, the Commission will be embarking on a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election.”
Beyond the 2027 horizon, the Commission is neck-deep in preparations for the FCT Area Council Elections scheduled for February 21, 2026.
Amupitan revealed that most activities on the timetable are already completed, including the recruitment of ad-hoc staff and the configuration of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS devices.
“BVAS devices are being configured for accreditation and upload of results to the IReV portal… There will be a mock accreditation on Saturday, 7th February 2026, in 289 selected Polling Units (PUs) across the six Area Councils.”
Simultaneously, the Commission will conduct bye-elections in Rivers and Kano states on the same day.
Amupitan also reminded stakeholders that governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States are scheduled for June and August 2026, respectively.
The INEC boss also addressed the status of new political associations, saying out of 171 letters of intent received, only a few met the constitutional and legal requirements.
“The successful associations will soon be announced by the Commission,” he said.
Prof. Amupitan called on the Media and CSOs to help combat “rising voter apathy” and to sensitize the public against “hate speech, vote buying, misinformation and disinformation.”
(Vanguard)
