Abuja, Nigeria — In a stormy emergency session marked by shouting matches, procedural ambushes and open defiance of the presiding officer, the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday dramatically reversed its earlier position on electronic transmission of election results, passing a revised clause that mandates electronic transmission from polling units, with safeguards for network failure.
The extraordinary sitting, originally convened simply to adopt the votes and proceedings of the previous plenary, quickly spiraled into a spectacle of confusion. Senators repeatedly clashed over procedure, legitimacy and the chamber’s own rules, forcing Senate President Godswill Akpabio into constant interventions as he struggled to maintain order.
The uproar centered on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Repeal and Enactment Bill. On February 4, the Senate had controversially retained the word “transfer” rather than “transmission” – a distinction critics said was designed to weaken the legal basis for real time electronic transmission of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Civil society groups, opposition parties and election observers condemned the move, warning it could undermine public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections. The chamber erupted when Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno invoked Orders 1(b) and 52(6) to seek a rescission of the earlier decision. His motion triggered immediate uproar, with senators arguing over whether such a move was permissible while the chamber was still considering the votes and proceedings.
Despite the chaos, Akpabio put the matter to a voice vote, and the chamber agreed to let Monguno proceed. Monguno argued that “post passage issues” had emerged and that the Senate must respond to public concern. He proposed a new clause requiring presiding officers at polling units to electronically transmit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREP) immediately after completing and signing Form EC8A. If transmission fails due to network issues, the manually signed EC8A would serve as the primary source for collation.
Senator Abba Moro seconded the motion, calling the reversal “the beauty of democracy.” But the chamber again descended into disorder when several senators, including Enyinnaya Abaribe, invoked Order 72 to challenge the Senate President’s ruling and demanded a division; an individual vote. Moments later, Abaribe abruptly withdrew his request, prompting further confusion. Akpabio upheld the withdrawal, allowing the voice vote to stand.
With the amendment carried, the Senate adopted the votes and proceedings of the previous sitting and adjourned, ending one of the most chaotic sessions in recent memory. The Senate’s U turn marks a significant victory for advocates of electoral transparency and aligns the upper chamber with long standing demands for mandatory electronic transmission of results; a reform widely seen as essential to restoring confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
