Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Nigerian Senate has dismissed media reports alleging that it rejected the mandatory electronic transmission of election results while passing the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, made the clarification on Wednesday shortly after the upper chamber passed the bill following a marathon session that lasted about five hours.
During deliberations on the bill, reports circulated online claiming that lawmakers voted against a proposal seeking to compel presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal in real time, after signing and stamping the prescribed result forms.
The reports further alleged that the Senate retained the existing provision of the Electoral Act, which states that “the 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.”
Reacting to the controversy, Akpabio described the interpretation as misleading, insisting that the Senate did not remove electronic transmission of results from the law.
“Distinguished colleagues, the social media is already awash with reports that the Senate has literally rejected electronic transmission of results. That is not true,” Akpabio said.
“What we did was to retain the electronic transmission provision that was already in the Act and which was used in 2022. So please, do not allow people to confuse you.”
He explained that the Senate merely preserved the existing framework, which allows electronic transmission at INEC’s discretion, stressing that the provision remains part of Nigeria’s electoral law.
“If you are in doubt, we will make our final votes and proceedings available upon request. This Senate, under my watch, has not rejected electronic transmission of results,” he said.
Akpabio further maintained that the Senate had no intention of reversing electoral gains already achieved.
“It is in my interest, as a participant in the next election, for this to be done. We have retained what was in the previous provision by way of amendment. The previous provision made allowance for electronic transmission, and it is still there as part of our law. We cannot afford to go backwards,” he added.
Meanwhile, the development has continued to generate public debate, with many Nigerians expressing concern over the lawmakers’ failure to explicitly make electronic transmission of election results mandatory in the amended law.
