Key changes to di Electoral Act amendment bill lawmakers pass for manual and electronic transmission of election result

Di Nigerian Senate and di House of Representatives pass di harmonised version of di Electoral Act amendment bill wey allow for di use of manual and electronic transmission of election results from each polling unit to di IREV portal, as e dey for Form EC8A. on Tuesday.

Di lawmakers pass di bill afta plenty shout-shout and walkout by opposition members retain di provision on electronic transmission of election results wey dey ginger reactions and protests for di kontri.

Dem pass di bill afta series of meetings on Clause 60, wey dey about di mode of transmitting results from polling units to di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal, wey be major issue for Nigeria electoral process.

Di House of Representatives later align dia position wit dat of di Senate, as dem approve di use of di both electronic and manual to transmit election results, wey allow electoral officials to fall back on di clause wey permit manual transmission of election results in case electronic transmission fail.

Under di amendment, electoral officers go transmit election results electronically from polling units afta proper documentation and authentication. But wen electronic transmission fail sake of network or technical challenges, electoral officials go manually collate results and e go serve as di official basis for collation.

Di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) dey expected to issue detailed guidelines wey go regulate di application of both methods.

Key changes to di electoral act wey lawmakers pass

Di senate also amend Clause 28 of di Electoral Act Amendment Bill, as dem reduce di notice of election requirements by 60 days, from 360 days to 300.

Dis leave di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wit di flexibility to fix di election dates between December 2026 and January 2027.

Di amended clause 28 tok say "di Commission shall, not later dan 300 days bifor di day appointed for holding of an election under dis Bill, publish notice for each State of di Federation and di Federal Capital Territory – di date of di election; and (b) appoint di place wia dem go deliver nomination papers."

Di lawmakers effect di amendment during di clause-by-clause consideration of di reworked Electoral Act Amendment bill afta di senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, raise motion on di Rescission and Re-Committal of di Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026.

Opeyemi tok say upon critical review of di passed bill, di 360-day notice requirement wey dey Clause 28 fit result in di scheduling of di 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections during di Ramadan period.

According to am, holding elections during Ramadan fit negatively affect voter turnout, logistical coordination, stakeholder participation, and di overall inclusiveness and credibility of the electoral process.

Di motion also highlight differences for di Long Title and several clauses of di bill, including Clauses 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93, and 143. Di identified issues reportedly affect cross-referencing, serial numbering, and internal consistency within di legislation.

Di lawmakers also reduce di Submission of Candidates/Nomination List to 120 days to di election from di 180 days wey e be bifor.

Inec must also publish details of di final candidates wey dey run for election at least 60 days to election from di 150 days wey e be bifor. Dem reduce di timeline by 90 days.

Di Senate initially bin take steps to reverse and recommit di Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026.

Dis dey come as dem cite concerns on top di timing of di 2027 general elections and technical inconsistencies for di legislation.

Rising under Order 52(6) of di Senate Standing Orders, di Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, bin move di motion to reverse di earlier passage of di bill and return am to di Committee of di Whole for fresh deliberations.

Oga Bamidele explain say dis development dey come afta di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announcement of di 2027 general elections timetable wey dem fix for February 2027, afta consultations wit di leadership of di National Assembly.

E say di stakeholders don raise concerns say di proposed date no follow di provisions of di amended law, particularly di requirement wey say make elections dey scheduled not later dan 360 days bifor di expiration of tenure.

Di Ekiti Central lawmaker tok say upon critical review of di passed bill, di 360-day notice requirement wey dey di Clause 28 fit result in scheduling of di 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections during di Ramadan period.

Holding elections during Ramadan fit negatively affect voter turnout, logistical coordination, stakeholder participation, plus di overall inclusiveness and credibility of di electoral process, Bamidele tok.

Di motion bin also highlight inconsistencies wey dem discover for di long Title and several clauses of di bill, including Clauses 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93, and 143.

Commotion for House of Reps on top motion to reverse real time clause for electoral act

Earlier, kasala bin burst for Nigeria House of Representatives on Tuesday, 17 February as lawmakers disagree on top one motion wey dey seek to reverse di passage of di Electoral Act Amendment Bill, wey contain real-time electronic transmission of results.

Chairman of di House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive bin move one motion for di House to withdraw dia decision on di bill, wey dem pass on 23 December, to follow di Senate position on real-time electronic transmission of election results.

Wen di Speaker of di House, Tajudeen Abbas, put di motion for voice vote, di "nays" bin loud pass di "ayes", but e rule say na di ayes get am.

Di ruling trigger protests from lawmakers, wey begin shout objection, noise wey make di speaker to call for executive session.

Meanwhile, protesters continue dia demonstration as dem gada for di front of di National Assembly Complex on Tuesday for di second day.

Dem increase dia calls for real-time transmission of election results from polling units to di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) IREV portal.

Pipo hear as di protesters dey shout, "We no go gree, we no go gree, Akpabio, pass di bill," as dem gada for di entrance of di National Assembly Complex for Abuja.

While odas chant "Our vote must count."

Earlier, di Senate version bin comot di "real-time" requirement for electronic transmission of results, and allow officers to transmit results at dia discretion. E also make di manual Form EC8A as di primary source of results for di event of communication failure.

But di House of Representative version bin compulsory real-time electronic transmission of results — one provision wey civil society organisations and opposition parties argue say go significantly reduce opportunities for manipulation and enhance transparency.

Dis two resolutions bin generate plenty backlash from opposition parties and civil groups, wey make di Senate call for emergency meeting last week to torchlight di electoral act mata again.

During di session, di Senate President Godswill Akpabio bin appoint a 12-member conference committee to harmonise differences between dia version of di Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill and dat of di House of Representatives.

However, for di Votes and Proceedings of di Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 wey dem hold, di lawmakers bin adopt di electronic transmission of election results.

Under di proposal, electronic transmission go serve as di primary method of uploading results.

However, if technical challenges like network failures occur, di motion give room for di option to allow di manual transmission of results using Form EC8A, wey dey duly signed and stamped by di presiding officer.