Abuja — In a move that signals a major concession to public pressure, the Senate on Tuesday adopted both electronic and manual modes for the transmission of election results, ending weeks of controversy over proposed changes to the Electoral Act.
The resolution was reached at plenary after lawmakers considered recommendations aimed at addressing widespread concerns and protests by Nigerians who opposed any attempt to restrict electronic transmission of results.
Specifically, the upper chamber amended Clause 60 of the Electoral Act, mandating presiding officers at polling units to electronically transmit election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
Under the revised provision, however, where electronic transmission is rendered impossible due to communication or network challenges, the manually completed result sheet, Form EC8A, will serve as the primary document for result collation.
The Senate’s decision follows sustained demonstrations at the National Assembly, with protesters insisting that electronic transmission of results remains a critical safeguard against electoral fraud and a key step toward restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Lawmakers said the hybrid approach strikes a balance between leveraging technology to enhance transparency and accommodating logistical challenges that may arise in areas with poor network coverage.
