Senate In Showdown: Lawmakers Split On E-Voting Transmission

The Senate was sharply divided on Thursday as 13 opposition senators refuted claims that the upper chamber had removed the mandatory electronic transmission of election results during the consideration of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026.

The disagreement arose following widespread public concern over reports on Wednesday suggesting that the Senate had rejected real-time electronic transmission of election results. The lawmakers, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, insisted that deliberations on the matter were ongoing and that the provision remained intact.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Abaribe, along with Senators Victor Umeh, Abdul Ningi, and ten others, affirmed their commitment to Clause 60, Subsection 3 of the bill, which mandates electronic transmission of election results. They pledged to monitor the process until the bill is transmitted to the President for assent.

The senators emphasized that over two-thirds of the chamber supported real-time electronic transmission and that the media’s interpretation of Wednesday’s proceedings was inaccurate. “To put the record straight, the Senate did not reject electronic transmission of results,” Abaribe said, clarifying that the plenary session had yet to finalize the vote on the bill.

The opposition senators noted that joint committees of both chambers had extensively reviewed the amendment bill and reached consensus on the adoption of electronic transmission. They also expressed concern over the backlash following Wednesday’s proceedings, particularly regarding Section 60(3), which requires the Independent National Electoral Commission to transmit polling unit results electronically in real time.

The controversy drew reactions from political leaders and civil society groups. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and opposition parties criticized reports of the alleged rejection of mandatory electronic transmission, warning that it could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, and New Nigeria Peoples Party, jointly described the development as a retrogressive act that could erode democracy. They accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of seeking to preserve loopholes in the electoral system that could be exploited during elections, asserting that a free and fair election posed a threat to the party’s interests.

Peter Obi condemned the reported rejection as an attempt to manipulate the electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections, linking past electoral disputes, including those during the 2023 general election, to the incomplete implementation of electronic transmission. He warned that the Senate’s refusal to adopt mandatory safeguards for electoral transparency threatens the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy and undermines confidence in future elections.

The senators reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that Clause 60(3) remains in the bill until the final version is transmitted to the President, highlighting the importance of electronic transmission as a critical measure for credible elections.