By Our Reporter
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) — The Senate on Thursday pushed back hard against widespread reports that it rejected electronic transmission of election results, insisting it remains fully committed to real-time upload of polling unit results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as provided in the 2026 Electoral Bill.
The clarification followed public outrage triggered by reports that Section 60(3) of the bill — which mandates electronic transmission of results — had been dropped during clause-by-clause consideration of the legislation.
Under Section 60(3), “The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and/or countersigned by the candidates or polling agents available at the polling unit.”
Confusion arose on Wednesday when Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while announcing decisions taken during consideration of the bill, stated that Clause 60 had been passed “as amended,” sparking media reports that the provision on electronic transmission had been rejected.
Barely 24 hours later, thirteen senators drawn from across party lines, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South), addressed journalists at the National Assembly to set the record straight.
Abaribe said the briefing became necessary to correct what he described as a “wrong and damaging impression” created by media reports on the Senate’s position.
“To put the record straight, yesterday the Senate did not — I repeat, did not — reject electronic transmission of results,” Abaribe declared. “What we passed is electronic transmission of results, and the Senate President himself clarified this from the chair.”
He assured Nigerians that lawmakers would closely monitor the provision until the final version of the bill is transmitted to the President for assent.
“I can assure you that the Electoral Committee, the Ad-Hoc Committee, and the entire Senate in executive session agreed on Section 60(3), which is electronic transmission of votes and results,” he said.
Also speaking, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) described reports that the Senate rejected electronic transmission as “very painful,” insisting that lawmakers have never wavered on the issue since work on the new Electoral Act began.
“At no time since September last year, when the process for a new Electoral Act for the 2027 general election started, did the Senate jettison the need for legal backing for electronic transmission of results by INEC,” Ningi said. “This negative narrative against the Senate and the National Assembly should stop.”
He pledged that lawmakers would ensure Section 60(3) remains intact in the final bill sent to the President.
Other senators present at the briefing included Austin Akobundu (PDP, Abia Central), Peter Jiya (PDP, Niger South), Ireti Kingibe (ADC, FCT), Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central), Binos Yaroe (PDP, Adamawa South), Kabeeb Mustapha (PDP, Jigawa South West), Khalid Mustapha (PDP, Kaduna North), Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo (APC, Nasarawa South), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto South), Tony Nwoye (LP, Anambra North), and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central).
The senators jointly vowed to defend electronic transmission of results as a cornerstone of credible elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.
