Senate Approves E-Transmission With Manual Backup For Elections After Intense Debate

Following a tense plenary session on Tuesday, the Senate once more greenlit electronic transmission of election results while keeping manual collation as an alternative. Fifteen lawmakers voted against the contentious provision contained 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, INEC.

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“People were mocking you on social media,” Akpabio said, noting that the previous demand had been withdrawn.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reminded colleagues that he had formally moved a motion for rescission, meaning earlier decisions on the bill were no longer valid.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.