Senate did not scrap electronic transmission of election results — Akpabio

The Senate has debunked claims that it voted against the electronic transmission of election results while considering the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio clarified the issue shortly after the upper chamber passed the bill following an extended plenary session that lasted over four hours. Debate on the controversial amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, began in the afternoon and ran into the evening, sparking widespread speculation on social media about the outcome.

Reports circulating online suggested that lawmakers had rejected a proposal that would mandate presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission to transmit polling unit results electronically to the INEC Result Viewing portal in real time after signing and stamping result forms. Instead, the Senate was said to have retained an existing provision that allows results to be transmitted “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”

Akpabio dismissed that interpretation as inaccurate, insisting that electronic transmission of results was not removed from the law. Addressing his colleagues, he said social media reports claiming the Senate rejected electronic transmission were false.

He explained that the chamber merely retained provisions that already existed in the law and were applied during the 2022 elections, stressing that electronic transmission remains part of Nigeria’s electoral framework.

“This Senate has not rejected electronic transmission of results,” Akpabio said, adding that the amendment did not roll back any existing gains. He urged lawmakers and the public not to be misled by online narratives, noting that official voting records and proceedings are available for verification.

Akpabio also pointed out that maintaining electronic transmission aligns with the Senate’s commitment to credible elections, warning against any interpretation that suggests a regression in the electoral process.

Electronic transmission of results has remained one of the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s electoral reforms, especially since the 2023 general elections. Civil society groups and opposition parties have continued to call for clearer legal provisions to enhance transparency and boost public confidence.

The Senate president said his intervention was necessary to calm public concerns and correct what he described as a misrepresentation of the chamber’s decision, as lawmakers continue work on reforms ahead of future elections.