In a heated emergency session on Tuesday, the Nigerian Senate approved an amendment to the Electoral Act (2026), allowing for both electronic and manual transmission of election results.

While the Senate bowed to public pressure by restoring electronic uploads to the IReV portal, it introduced a controversial “backup” clause: if technology fails due to network issues, manual results (Form EC8A) will serve as the primary basis for collation.

Key Details of the Amendment:

• Electronic Mandate: Presiding officers are now required to transmit results electronically after voting.
• The Manual Caveat: Manual results remain the legal fallback in areas with “communication failure.”
• The “Real-Time” Rejection: The Senate notably excluded the phrase “real-time,” a major demand from protesters who fear delays enable rigging.

The decision sparked immediate condemnation from opposition leaders and activists, who labeled the manual backup a “backdoor” for manipulation.

• Atiku Abubakar (PDP): Warned that a “mixed system” will cause more chaos than transparency.
• Rotimi Amaechi & Nasir El-Rufai: Criticized the lack of mandatory real-time transmission, with Amaechi joining protesters at the National Assembly.
• Omoyele Sowore: Called for an “electoral revolution,” accusing the political class of betraying the public.
• Civil Society: Groups like CISLAC argued that “election rigging starts with the legal framework,” urging the removal of the manual collation loophole.

Following the approval, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has appointed a 12-member conference committee, led by Senator Simon Lalong, to harmonize the bill with the House of Representatives’ version. The Senate aims to transmit the final bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent by the end of February.

Source: Punchng