<\/p>\n
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed claims that the Senate rejected electronic transmission of election results, saying the lawmakers only maintained the existing position of the law.<\/p>\n
Akpabio explained that the Senate did not vote against electronic transmission. <\/p>\n
According to him, what was retained was the same provision already contained in the 2022 Electoral Act. He said the controversy arose from a misunderstanding of the amendment process.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Abuja on Saturday at a book launch focused on the responsibilities and pressures faced by lawmakers, the Senate President said electronic transmission of results is still allowed under the law. <\/p>\n
He clarified that the only adjustment made was the removal of the phrase \u201creal time\u201d from the provision.<\/p>\n
Akpabio said the decision was deliberate and aimed at preventing legal and technical complications. He explained that insisting on real-time transmission could create problems if network issues occur during elections. He said such challenges could later be used to contest results in court.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll we said during discussion was that we should remove the word \u2018real-time\u2019 because if you say real-time, then there is a network or grid failure and the network is not working. \u2029When you go to court, somebody will say it ought to have been real-time. That was all we said.\u201d<\/p>\n
He further noted that the Senate\u2019s position allows the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to operate with flexibility. <\/p>\n
According to him, INEC needs room to assess security conditions, network coverage, and other technical realities before deciding how results are transmitted.<\/p>\n
The Senate President stressed that lawmakers remain committed to strengthening Nigeria\u2019s electoral process. He said the National Assembly would continue to pass laws that align with the expectations of citizens and support credible elections.<\/p>\n
Reacting to the debate, former Senate President David Mark said INEC should be given full authority to determine whether election results are transmitted electronically. <\/p>\n
He maintained that the electoral body is best positioned to assess operational challenges during polls.<\/p>\n
Mark also disclosed that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) supports electronic transmission of election results. He said the party believes technology can enhance transparency if properly implemented.<\/p>\n
Public reaction has remained intense since the Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 last week. <\/p>\n
The bill scaled through its third reading but failed to include a proposed amendment that would have made electronic transmission compulsory.<\/p>\n
The proposed amendment targeted Clause 60, Subsection 3. It sought to mandate presiding officers to upload polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) immediately after results were signed and endorsed.<\/p>\n
Instead, the Senate retained the current legal wording. The provision states that \u201cthe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
This retention, lawmakers argue, preserves INEC\u2019s discretion while keeping electronic transmission within the law.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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