Opposition protests as Senate backs manual transmission in Electoral Act Amendment

‎ABUJA, Nigeria — The Senate on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, passed a contentious amendment to the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026, igniting widespread protests and political backlash as lawmakers backed a compromise on how election results are transmitted.
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‎In an emergency plenary session, the Senate approved provisions that maintain electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as the primary method, while still allowing manual collation and transmission via Form EC8A where technology fails. Critics say the inclusion of the manual fallback risks undermining transparency and opens the door to manipulation.
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‎The decision came after days of public outcry over the removal of language mandating real-time electronic transmission in the earlier version of the bill — a key demand of opposition parties, civil society groups, youth movements and activists.
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‎Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged senators to support the revised clause and rebutted objections on the floor, but proceedings were marked by heated debate and points of order.
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‎The chamber also set up a conference committee to harmonise its version of the bill with that of the House of Representatives before transmission to the presidency for assent.
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‎The legislative move triggered demonstrations outside the National Assembly in Abuja, where protestors under the banner “Occupy National Assembly” called on lawmakers to restore explicit real-time electronic transmission language. Among those at the rally were opposition figures and civil activists, with a strong security presence at the complex.
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‎Opposition leaders have continued to criticise the Senate’s compromise, saying that allowing manual results as a default in certain circumstances could weaken electoral safeguards ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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‎The Senate has signalled openness to further public criticism and said it will engage stakeholders as the amendment process continues, but the controversy underscores ongoing tensions over how best to strengthen electoral transparency and public confidence in Nigeria’s voting system.