The Senate has approved the electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), while retaining manual collation as a fallback option in cases where technology fails.

 

The decision followed a reconsideration of a controversial provision in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill during Tuesday’s plenary session.

 

The amendment was introduced through a motion sponsored by Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno North, who informed the chamber that a further review of Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026 revealed the need for adjustments to avert disputes and operational challenges during elections.

 

Monguno proposed that presiding officers at polling units be permitted to electronically transmit election results to the IReV portal after Form EC8A has been properly completed, signed, and stamped.

 

However, the approved provision does not make electronic transmission mandatory and does not provide for real-time uploading of results.

 

Under the amendment, where electronic transmission is hindered by network failures or other communication challenges, the manually completed EC8A form will serve as the primary basis for the collation and declaration of election results.

 

The motion was seconded by Abba Moro, the Senate Minority Leader, who argued that Nigeria’s electoral laws must balance transparency with the country’s infrastructural realities.

 

After brief deliberations, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, put the amendment to a voice vote, which was overwhelmingly approved as the “ayes” carried the day.