JUST IN: Senate okays electronic transmission of results, permits manual upload as backup

The Senate has approved the electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s result viewing portal (IReV), while permitting manual collation as a backup in case of technological failures.

This decision follows a reconsideration of a contentious provision in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill during Tuesday’s plenary session.

The amendment was introduced by Senator Tahir Monguno, representing Borno North, who explained to the chamber that further scrutiny of Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2026 revealed the need for adjustments to prevent disputes and operational setbacks during elections.

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

However, the provision does not mandate electronic transmission and excludes real-time uploads of results.

Under the approved amendment, if electronic transmission is disrupted by network or communication challenges, the manually completed EC8A form will serve as the primary basis for collation and declaration of results.

The motion was seconded by Abba Moro, the Senate minority leader, who supported the view that electoral laws must balance transparency with the infrastructural realities across the country.

Following brief deliberations, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the amendment to a voice vote, with the “ayes” prevailing.