The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned of possible nationwide protests and a boycott of elections over what it described as confusion and conflicting positions from the Senate on amendments to the Electoral Act, especially on the issue of electronic transmission of results.
The union said the Senate’s position was weakening public confidence in the electoral system by failing to clearly indicate whether electronic transmission of results would be compulsory.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) expresses deep concern over the confusion and contradictory narratives emerging from the Senate regarding the amendment to the 2022 Electoral Act, particularly on electronic transmission of results,” NLC President Joe Ajaero said in a statement on Sunday.
The NLC noted that uncertainty surrounding the Senate’s decision could undermine electoral integrity and public trust, stressing that “Nigerians deserve a transparent system where votes are not only counted but seen to be counted.”
“Public records suggest the proposed amendment to mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results electronically in real time was not adopted, with the existing discretionary provision retained.
“This has generated nationwide apprehension, and subsequent explanations have only added to the confusion,” the union added.
The Congress cautioned that “legislative ambiguity” at such a critical time after the 2023 general elections could entrench doubt in the electoral process.
It called on the Senate to provide an “immediate, official, and unambiguous account” of the provisions passed, including the final wording and the reasons for its decision.
“The National Assembly leadership must also ensure the harmonisation process produces a final bill with crystal-clear provisions; any ambiguity in the transmission and collation of results is a disservice to our democracy,” the statement read.
The NLC maintained that the amended Electoral Act must clearly compel INEC to electronically transmit and collate results from polling units in real time, warning that failure to do so could spark mass action.
“Failure to add electronic transmission in real time will lead to mass action before, during and after the election, or total boycott of the election,” the Congress said.
“Nigerian workers and citizens are watching closely. Our nation must choose the path of clarity and integrity. We need to avoid the same confusion that trailed the new Tax Acts. The time for honest, people-focused legislation is now.”
The warning came after the Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 through its third reading on February 4, 2026.
During the passage, the upper chamber rejected Clause 60(3), which would have required presiding officers to electronically transmit results from polling units directly to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing portal in real time.
The clause had sought to make the process compulsory.
Lawmakers instead retained the current discretionary provision, which allows electronic transmission only after votes have been counted and publicly declared at polling units.
Civil society organisations and opposition figures have criticised the decision, describing it as a setback to Nigeria’s democratic development.
However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has defended the chamber, stating at a public event that the Senate did not reject electronic transmission and insisting it would not be intimidated.
Meanwhile, the Senate has scheduled an emergency plenary for Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
The sitting may see lawmakers revisit the rejected amendment following public outrage and possible legal challenges from figures such as lawyer Femi Falana, with implications for Nigeria’s democratic process and the balance between incumbency protections and verifiable voting technology.
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