ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS: SENATE PLEDGES FULL MONITORING TO PRESIDENTIAL ASSENT

Amid confusion over media reports, Senators on Thursday clarified that they fully back electronic transmission of election results in the 2026 Electoral Bill and will monitor the process through to presidential assent.

The controversy followed reports that Section 60(3) of the bill, which requires:“

The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time, after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and/or countersigned by the candidates or polling agents available at the polling unit,”Senate President Godswill Akpabio had announced Wednesday that Clause 60 was amended, not discarded, but the media widely reported otherwise.

To correct the record, thirteen Senators across political divides, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), briefed journalists on Thursday.“

To put the record straight, the Senate did not reject electronic transmission of results.

We will monitor this provision to the point of presidential assent,” Abaribe said.Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) described the rejection reports as “very painful,” adding that the Senate has consistently supported legal provisions for electronic transmission since work on the new Electoral Act began last year.

“This negative narrative against the Senate and National Assembly must stop. Section 60(3) will follow exactly what is transmitted to the President for assent,” Ningi stressed.

Other Senators at the briefing included Austin Akobundu (PDP – Abia Central), Peter Jiya (PDP – Niger South), Ireti Kingibe (ADC – FCT), Victor Umeh (LP – Anambra Central), Binos Yaroe (PDP – Adamawa South), Kabeeb Mustapha (PDP – Jigawa South West), Khalid Mustapha (PDP – Kaduna North), Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo (APC – Nasarawa South), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (PDP – Sokoto South), Tony Nwoye (LP – Anambra North), and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP – Kogi Central).

The clarification aims to reassure Nigerians that electronic transmission of results, a key tool for transparency in the 2027 general elections, remains intact.