Public anger and dissatisfaction have continued to trail the Nigerian Senate’s recent move to amend the Electoral Act without making electronic transmission of election results compulsory.
Criticism intensified on Tuesday following the Senate plenary, with many Nigerians accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the 10th National Assembly of deliberately weakening the country’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Senate on Tuesday amended the Electoral Act to allow electronic transmission of election results while introducing a provision that permits manual result sheets to prevail where electronic transmission fails.
The amendment was adopted during plenary proceedings presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Under the revised provision, presiding officers at polling units are required to electronically transmit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal after the conclusion of voting.
However, the amendment stipulates that where electronic transmission is unsuccessful due to communication or network failure, the manual result sheet Form EC8A shall serve as the primary basis for collation and declaration of results.
The development followed an earlier decision by the upper chamber last week to reject the compulsory electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal.
The proposal has since generated widespread concern, particularly over the reliance on Form EC8A as the primary source of results in the event of disputes.
At the centre of the controversy is the argument by critics that the amendment weakens key gains of previous electoral reforms, especially provisions designed to curb manipulation through electronic transmission.
Civil society organisations, opposition figures, and legal experts argue that the Senate’s position signals a dangerous return to the era of manual interference in election results.
We can’t be intimidated Senate insists
Responding to the backlash, Senate Spokesman Yemi Adaramodu said the Senate would not be intimidated over the controversy surrounding real time transmission of election results.
Adaramodu made the remarks while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.
According to him, lawmaking is a serious process and not an exercise meant to appease public sentiment.
“We are not worried, we’re not to be intimidated, and we shouldn’t be intimidated.
“And moreover, as we know, in Nigeria and anywhere else where democracy is thriving, there will be shades of opinions, there will be shadows of ideas, and then we have to listen to all. So, that’s what happened,” he said.
Senate setting stage for chaos Obidient Movement
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko, criticised the Senate’s position, warning that it could undermine the electoral process and trigger confusion during elections.
Tanko argued that lawmakers should either fully embrace electronic transmission of results or directly address infrastructural challenges such as poor internet connectivity in some areas.
He questioned claims by some senators that their constituencies lack network coverage, challenging the level of development brought to such communities.
According to him, allowing a return to manual transmission where electronic transmission is deemed impossible could result in disputes at polling units and collation centres.
“They are setting the people up for chaps. What I meant by this is that you either support the electronic transmission of results holistically and provide solutions to inadequacies that may be faced with that particular process.
“For example, making sure that there is internet in that particular area that they said there’s no network.
“One of the senators shamelessly, for God’s sake, saying that there is no service in his own village, then, what are you in the Senate for? What is the allocation that the government has been giving you? What have you done? What development have you got to your own people? It is disgraceful.
“So and then you now say that where there is no service, you go back to manual transfer, or at when everybody agrees. It is a setup for chaos.
“Everybody can say that there is no service in his own area and then there will be an argument between those who want electronic transmission and those who don’t want.
“It’s a chaotic resolution. It won’t help but rather create more problems,” Tanko said.
He warned that the Senate’s indecision could haunt lawmakers in the future and pledged continued advocacy for electoral transparency within the confines of the law.
Lawmakers creating loopholes to manipulate polls Nnaji
A former National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ray Nnaji, accused the National Assembly of deliberately creating loopholes in the amendment to enable manipulation of elections.
According to him, many lawmakers fear losing their seats under a transparent electoral system.
“These are loopholes for the manipulation of the system. Most of them knew quite well they can’t come back to the National Assembly if the system is transparent.
“The people will determine what will happen. The people’s view must have to take place,” he said.
Nnaji also alleged that the timing of the amendment was deliberate, warning that public resistance could disrupt future election timelines.
Politicians lack leadership Omotayo
The President of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, Barr Olu Omotayo, accused Nigerian politicians of failing to show leadership on electoral reforms.
He said genuine reforms should not be pursued only when elections are approaching, adding that mandatory electronic transmission requires sustained investment in infrastructure.
“Our politicians aren’t showing leadership. It’s not when the election is close that everybody starts reacting.
“There has not been any improvement on the former law. It’s still the same law, just that the language is different,” Omotayo said.
Senate endorsed electoral banditry Analyst
A public affairs analyst and communication expert at Peaceland University, Enugu, Nduka Odo, described the Senate’s action as an endorsement of what he termed “electoral banditry.”
He argued that the amendment empowers INEC to alternate between electronic and manual processes, a move he said could undermine electoral credibility.
“The action by the lawmakers is abominable and self serving. Nigerians should reject it and pressure them to amend the act. A law that fails to reflect the will of the people is atrocious and unprogressive,” Odo said.
Other notable figures who have also expressed displeasure over the Senate’s position include Obiageli Ezekwesili, Kenneth Okonkwo, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Meanwhile, Senate President Akpabio said President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the amended Electoral Act into law within February.
He made this known during an emergency plenary session where the Senate constituted a 12 member committee to harmonise its version of the bill with that of the House of Representatives.
“I believe that if you are able to conclude within the next few days or one week, the President should be able to sign this amended Electoral Bill into an Act of Parliament within this month of February,” Akpabio said.
