Breaking News: Senate Approves Electronic Transmission of Election Results with Manual Backup

By Emmanuel Kwada 

The Nigerian Senate has approved a significant amendment to the Electoral Act, mandating that presiding officers transmit election results electronically to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

However, in cases where electronic transmission fails due to network issues or other technical glitches, the manual result sheet (Form EC8A) will be adopted as the primary document for collation.

This development came on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, following an emergency plenary session that rescinded an earlier decision rejecting mandatory electronic transmission.

The upper chamber re-amended the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill to accommodate electronic transmission with explicit conditions aimed at addressing practical challenges in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, moved a motion to reverse the previous stance, leading to a rowdy session amid heated debates.

The amendment requires presiding officers to upload results in real time or as soon as possible after vote counting and announcement at polling units.

This is intended to enhance transparency, reduce manipulation, and build public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The caveat introduced is crucial: if network failures, device malfunctions, or other connectivity problems prevent electronic upload, the physical Form EC8A—signed and stamped by the presiding officer and party agents where available—will take precedence.

This manual sheet will then serve as the basis for result collation at higher levels, ensuring the process is not stalled.

Senate leadership, including President Godswill Akpabio, has defended the balanced approach, arguing that it retains the electronic transmission provision already in the 2022 Electoral Act (used in the 2023 elections) while making it more pragmatic.

The amendment aligns partially with positions from the House of Representatives, which had pushed for stricter real-time mandatory transmission. The two chambers will now proceed to a conference committee to harmonize differences in their versions of the bill before it is sent to the President for assent.

This latest change follows intense public pressure, including protests at the National Assembly and calls from stakeholders for stronger safeguards against electoral fraud.

Observers note that while the electronic mandate is a step forward, the conditional clause has sparked debate on whether it sufficiently closes gaps exposed in previous elections.

The full implications for the 2027 polls remain under scrutiny, with many urging INEC to strengthen network infrastructure in rural and underserved areas to minimize reliance on manual fallbacks.