Senate Decision: Manual Backup Retained Despite Clause 60 Proviso Opposition

After a heated plenary session in which 15 senators opposed the contentious clause in Clause 60 of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026, the Senate on Tuesday once again approved the electronic transmission of election results, but kept manual collation as a backup.

After a contentious floor vote, 55 senators voted in favor of keeping the manual fallback mechanism in place, while 14 senators, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of ADC/Abia South, opposed it.

After new concerns were raised regarding inconsistencies in a number of clauses and the timing of the 2027 general elections announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the upper chamber, which had previously passed the bill, was forced to recant its decision and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole.

Clause 60, which addresses the transmission and compilation of election results, was the subject of a renewed dispute that dominated Tuesday’s plenary.

When the proceedings restarted, Abaribe demanded a division on the section, which led to a boisterous session. A similar attempt had been attempted by the Abia South lawmaker during last week’s emergency plenary, but he withdrew under pressure, causing a stir in the chamber and public outrage.

Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate leader, intervened and advised composure.

Abaribe has the right to demand it regardless of whether he has done it previously. “Let’s let him,” Bamidele remarked.

Abaribe’s prior unsuccessful candidacy was brought up to parliamentarians by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Akpabio stated that the prior demand had been retracted and that “people were mocking you on social media.”

Senators from the opposition immediately protested, claiming that the Senate should have been the appropriate forum for the issue.

Citing Senate Standing Order Order 52(6), Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin contended that it would be improper to review a provision that has already been decided. Sen. Sunday Karimi briefly addressed Abaribe as a result of the additional commotion caused by his submission.

Bamidele, however, reminded colleagues that previous rulings on the bill were no longer enforceable because he had properly moved a motion for rescission. He insisted that such motion was compatible with Abaribe’s request for a split.

The majority prevails, 55 vs. 15.
Akpabio put the issue to a vote after contentious discussions.

Senators were invited to raise their hands in support of Clause 60(3)’s manual backup proviso. Lere Oyewunmi, the Senate Deputy Minority Leader, was among the fifty-five members who supported the measure.

Abaribe and fourteen other people rejected it, preferring real-time electronic communication without a manual fallback.

The manual backup clause was kept in place when the majority decided to do so.

In cases when network or communication issues prevent electronic transmission, the manually filled-out and signed Form EC8A will be the main source of information used for results compilation and declaration under the modified clause.

The results of polling units must be electronically transferred to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV), although in the event that technology malfunctions, manual documentation is still legally binding.

Revocation Regarding the Election Date in 2027, Inconsistencies
Before the division, the Senate had recommitted the bill for further review after reversing its previous passage.

Bamidele moved to revoke the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026 and send it back to the Committee of the Whole in accordance with Order 52(6).

He clarified that the motion was made in response to INEC’s announcement that the general elections for 2027 will be held in February of that year. Stakeholders expressed worries that the date would interfere with legislative timelines and impact inclusivity, he said.

Additionally, Bamidele cautioned that elections held during Ramadan may have a detrimental effect on logistics, voter turnout, and legitimacy in general.

He also mentioned inconsistencies in the bill’s Long Title and other sections that influence internal consistency, numbering, cross-referencing, and reference, such as sections 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93, and 143.

The Senate was given the opportunity to begin anew after the rescission revoked all previous legislative acts on the bill. Nevertheless, the result regarding electronic transmission did not alter in spite of the clause-by-clause review.

Some irate MPs left plenary when the minority bloc was defeated.

The fresh approval after a week of heavy public pressure, protests, and condemnation from opposition politicians, youth movements, and civil society organizations who had accused lawmakers of trying to undermine democratic safeguards in advance of the 2027 elections.

Despite restoring electronic communication, the Senate refrained from requiring real-time uploads.

After voting and documentation, presiding officers must upload the polling unit results to IReV. The manually filled out Form EC8A will be the official basis for collation in cases where network issues prevent electronic transmission.

Both sides were praised by Akpabio following the split.

Let me express my gratitude to the esteemed senators for their demonstration of democracy and patriotism.

“Those in the majority made sure that the Form EC8A remains the primary mode of election results, while those in the minority displayed bravery by opposing the proviso.” He stated that polling places, not polling stations, are where elections are won and lost.

“Electronic transmission is a historic innovation that enables election monitors, including foreign observers, to track results without physically visiting Nigeria’s over 176,000 polling units,” he said.

Akpabio remained silent when asked if the 2027 presidential election would take place on January 13 instead of February 20. This fueled rumors in political circles.

Occupy the National Assembly protesters persisted in their demonstrations at the National Assembly complex, cautioning lawmakers against any action that would jeopardize the legitimacy of the 2027 elections.