… Retains manual backup for results transmission
ABUJA: The Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the harmonised Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, retaining the controversial proviso to Clause 60(3) which permits manual transmission of election results where electronic transmission fails.
The development followed the Senate’s decision to rescind its earlier passage of the bill and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole for fresh consideration to address identified inconsistencies and unintended consequences.
Moving a motion titled “Motion for Rescission and Re-Commital,” Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC–Ekiti), explained that although the bill had earlier been passed by both chambers, a critical review revealed anomalies, including a 360-day notice requirement in Clause 28 that could result in the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections falling within the Ramadan period.
He warned that such timing could adversely affect voter turnout, logistics, stakeholder engagement and the overall inclusiveness of the electoral process.
Bamidele also disclosed that discrepancies were discovered in the Long Title and several clauses, including 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93 and 143, affecting cross-referencing, numbering and internal consistency.
A technical committee comprising leaders of both chambers, members of the conference committee, clerks and legal drafting experts from the National Assembly Directorate of Legal Services was constituted to harmonise the provisions.
The Senate subsequently resolved to rescind its earlier decision in line with Orders 1(b) and 53(6) of its Standing Orders and re-passed the bill after clause-by-clause reconsideration.
Central to the debate was Clause 60(3), which mandates electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV), after Form EC8A has been duly signed and stamped by the presiding officer and party agents.
However, the proviso retained by the lawmakers states that where electronic transmission fails due to technical or communication challenges, the manually completed Form EC8A, signed by the presiding officer and countersigned by polling agents, shall serve as the primary source for collation and declaration of results.
During deliberations, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA–Abia) called for a division on the clause, a move initially ruled out of order by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin (APC–Kano), who argued that the matter had been concluded in the earlier passage.
The chamber became rowdy as opposition lawmakers protested.
Bamidele intervened, affirming that Abaribe’s request for division was in order, particularly in light of the rescission motion which reopened the bill for fresh legislative input.
A division was subsequently conducted, with 55 senators voting in support of retaining the proviso and 15 voting against it.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended lawmakers on both sides of the divide, describing their actions as a demonstration of democracy in practice.
He praised the retention of electronic transmission as a major innovation, noting that it would enable domestic and international observers to monitor results uploaded from Nigeria’s over 176,000 polling units in real time.
According to him, the provision would strengthen transparency and help political parties safeguard their mandates, while also reducing the likelihood of repeated elections.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives also passed the harmonised bill amid a rowdy session that saw some opposition members stage a walkout.
Addressing journalists after plenary, House Spokesperson, Rep. Akin Rotimi, described the passage as historic and insisted it was not driven by partisan considerations.
“Yes, the opposition staged a walkout, but it is on record that some opposition members stayed back and voted for the passage,” he said.
Rotimi maintained that the amendment responded to the yearnings of Nigerians and was aimed at strengthening the electoral process.
He clarified that electronic transmission remains the primary mode for results transfer, but manual collation would apply where technical failures occur.
According to him, the division witnessed in the chamber reflected the vibrancy of Nigeria’s democracy rather than confusion over the bill.
With both chambers now in agreement, the harmonised Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, awaits transmission to the President for assent ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
