By Kevin Akor
ABUJA, Nigeria (chatnewstv.com) — Nigeria’s Senate has moved to mandate the electronic transmission of election results from polling units, reversing course after days of public outrage and protests over provisions in a proposed amendment to the country’s Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The shift followed intense criticism of the Senate’s initial handling of Clause 60 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026, which critics said weakened safeguards by giving the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, discretion over how results are transmitted rather than making electronic transmission compulsory.
Civil society groups, labour unions and youth movements accused lawmakers of undermining electoral transparency, warning that vague language could allow manipulation of results — a persistent concern in past elections. Protests erupted in Abuja and other cities under the banner “Occupy National Assembly,” with demonstrators demanding a clear legal requirement for real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results to INEC’s Results Viewing portal, known as IReV.
“The credibility of elections and the trust of Nigerians are at stake,” the Nigeria Labour Congress said in a statement, warning of mass action if lawmakers failed to strengthen the law.
Facing mounting pressure, Senate leaders convened an emergency plenary session and amended the bill to require presiding officers to electronically transmit results to the IReV portal after result forms are signed and stamped at polling units. Manual result sheets will serve only as a backup where network or technical failures prevent electronic upload.
Supporters of the change hailed it as a major concession to public demand and a potential turning point for electoral credibility. Pro-democracy advocates said mandatory electronic transmission would make it harder to alter results at collation centres and allow citizens to track outcomes as votes are counted.
“This is a victory for transparency and for Nigerians who want elections that truly reflect the will of the people,” one civil society coalition said.
Not all lawmakers were initially convinced. Senate President Godswill Akpabio defended the earlier wording, arguing that strict real-time requirements could trigger legal disputes if network outages occurred on election day.
“The issue was never opposition to electronic transmission,” Akpabio said previously. “It was about avoiding rigid language that could create problems if technology fails.”
Critics rejected that argument. Former minister and activist Oby Ezekwesili said concerns about feasibility were exaggerated, noting that electronic transmission had been successfully used in recent governorship elections in Ekiti, Osun and Anambra states.
“Diluting the law only weakens public confidence,” she said. “The technology has been tested.”
The Senate’s decision comes as lawmakers work to harmonise their version of the bill with that of the House of Representatives, which is reported to favour even stricter provisions. Civil society groups are also pushing for the law to require electronic transmission not only of polling unit results but also of accreditation figures and uploads from collation centres to close potential loopholes.
With less than two years to the 2027 elections, analysts say the outcome of the reform process could shape voter confidence, reduce post-election disputes and influence perceptions of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
As debate continues, many Nigerians see the Senate’s reversal as evidence that public pressure can still force change — and as a reminder that the fine print of electoral law may determine the credibility of the country’s next polls.
