Senate Approves Electronic Transmission of Results — But Keeps Manual Collation as Backup

By Otobong Gabriel, Abuja 

Nigeria’s Senate has endorsed the electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), but stopped short of making it mandatory, leaving room for manual collation where technology fails.

The decision, reached during Tuesday’s plenary, followed a fresh review of a controversial section of the proposed Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 — a clause that has sparked nationwide debate about transparency, credibility, and the country’s digital readiness.

Leading the charge for the amendment was Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North), who argued that Clause 60(3) of the bill required adjustments to avoid legal disputes and operational setbacks during elections.

Under the revised provision, presiding officers at polling units are permitted to electronically transmit results to INEC’s IReV portal after completing, signing, and stamping Form EC8A — the official result sheet.

However, the law does not compel real-time uploads, nor does it make electronic transmission compulsory.

Instead, the Senate adopted a hybrid approach: when network failures or communication challenges occur, the manually completed EC8A forms will serve as the primary basis for collation and final declaration of results.

Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, who seconded the motion, said the reform strikes a balance between the demand for electoral transparency and the infrastructural limitations across parts of the country, particularly rural areas where connectivity remains weak.

After brief deliberations, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the proposal to a voice vote, with the “ayes” carrying the day.

What This Means for Nigerian Elections

The amendment signals progress, but cautiously too.

While electronic transmission has long been championed by civil society groups as a safeguard against manipulation, the refusal to make it mandatory raises concerns that manual processes — historically vulnerable to interference — could still dominate in critical moments.

Supporters argue the fallback option is practical, given Nigeria’s patchy telecom coverage and recurring technical glitches during past elections.

Critics, however, warn that leaving transmission optional may weaken accountability and create loopholes that undermine public trust.

In essence, the Senate has chosen compromise over certainty — embracing technology, but not fully committing to it.

Whether this middle-ground approach improves credibility or simply preserves old problems may only become clear when the next election cycle arrives.