Following a contentious plenary session in which 15 senators opposed the contentious clause in Clause 60 of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026, the Senate on Tuesday once more approved the electronic transmission of election results, but kept manual collation as a backup.
The vote came after a sharp split on the floor, with 14 senators and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC/Abia South) voting against the manual fallback mechanism, while 55 senators supported it.
The bill had previously passed the upper house, but after new concerns were raised regarding inconsistencies in a number of clauses and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s announcement of the 2027 general elections, the upper chamber was forced to reverse its decision and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole.
Clause 60, which addresses the transmission and collation of election results, was the focus of a renewed dispute at Tuesday’s plenary session.
Abaribe’s call for a division on the clause sparked a boisterous session when the proceedings restarted. The congressman from Abia South had attempted a similar thing during the emergency plenary last week, but he withdrew under pressure, causing a stir in the house and public outrage.
In her intervention, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele called for composure.
Regardless of whether he has done so previously, Abaribe has the right to demand it. Bamidele responded, “Let’s let him.
Abaribe’s previous unsuccessful candidacy was brought up to parliamentarians by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The prior demand had been retracted, Akpabio stated, adding, “People were making fun of you on social media.”
Senators from the opposition quickly protested, claiming that the Senate should have addressed the issue.
Using Senate Standing Orders Order 52(6) as support, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin contended that it would be improper to review a provision that has already been decided. His submission caused more controversy, and Senator Sunday Karimi briefly accosted Abaribe as a result.
Yet, Bamidele reminded colleagues that he had formally filed a motion for rescission, which rendered previous rulings on the bill null and void. According to him, that motion was in line with Abaribe’s request for a division.
Predominance of the Majority 55 vs. 15
The issue was put to a vote by Akpabio after heated discussions.
Senators were asked to raise their hands if they supported the manual backup proviso in Clause 60(3). Among the fifty-five MPs who supported it was Senate Deputy Minority Leader Lere Oyewunmi.
Abaribe and 14 other people were against it, favoring electronic communication in real time without a manual fallback.
Since the majority won, the manual backup provision was kept in place.
When electronic transmission is interrupted by network or communication issues, the manually filled-out and signed Form EC8A will be the main source of information used for results compilation and declaration under the modified clause.
Even though INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) will receive polling unit results online, manual documentation is still legally binding in cases where technology malfunctions.
Discrepancies and Revocation of the 2027 Election Date
Prior to the split, the Senate had rescinded its previous approval of the bill and sent it back for further review.
Bamidele made the motion to revoke the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026 and send it back to the Committee of the Whole in accordance with Order 52(6).
He clarified that INEC’s declaration setting the date for the 2027 general elections for February 2027 was the reason behind the motion. Stakeholders expressed worries that the date may interfere with legislative timelines and compromise inclusivity, he said.
Also, Bamidele cautioned that elections held during Ramadan might have a detrimental effect on logistics, voter turnout, and legitimacy in general.
The bill’s Long Title and other clauses, including Clauses 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93, and 143, that affect internal consistency, cross-referencing, and numbering, were also highlighted by him as having inconsistencies.
All previous legislative acts on the bill were revoked, enabling the Senate to begin anew. However, the decision of electronic transmission did not alter in spite of the clause-by-clause reassessment.
Some disgruntled members left the plenary after the minority bloc’s defeat.
The renewed approval after a week of heavy public pressure, demonstrations, and condemnation from opposition politicians, youth movements, and civil society organizations who had accused lawmakers of trying to erode electoral protections in advance of the 2027 elections.
The Senate refrained from mandating real-time uploads, notwithstanding the restoration of electronic transmission.
Once voting and documentation are complete, presiding officers must upload polling unit results to IReV. Form EC8A, which must be filled out by hand, shall be the formal basis for collation in cases where network issues prevent electronic transmission.
Following the split, Akpabio praised both parties.
For their demonstration of democracy and patriotism, I would like to thank the esteemed senators.
“The minority shown bravery by opposing the proviso, while the majority made sure that Form EC8A would continue to be the main method of election results. Instead of collation centers, polling places are where elections are won and lost, he stated.
Electronic transmission, he said, is a major breakthrough that enables election observers, including those from other countries, to follow the results without physically going to Nigeria’s more than 176,000 polling places.
When asked if the 2027 presidential election would take place on January 13 instead of February 20, Akpabio remained silent, which fueled conjecture in political circles.
Protesters operating under the name of Occupy the National Assembly cautioned lawmakers against taking any move that would jeopardize the legitimacy of the 2027 elections as the demonstrations at the National Assembly building continued.
