Senate Reconvenes Amid Public Outcry Over Electoral Act Amendment

Senate Calls Emergency Sitting

THE Senate will hold an emergency plenary session on Tuesday 10 February 2026, in response to widespread public debate over the recently passed Electoral Act amendment bill. The session, scheduled to begin at noon in the Senate chamber, was announced in a memo dated 8 February and signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, who acted on the directive of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

While the memo did not explicitly state the reason for the emergency sitting, analysts link it to growing public and political pressure over the exclusion of mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

Controversy Over Electronic Transmission of Results

The amendment to the Electoral Act, passed last Wednesday, revised several key clauses, but Clause 60, which would have made real-time electronic transmission of results mandatory, was removed. Senate President Akpabio explained that the decision was motivated by concerns that network failures during elections could lead to legal disputes, underscoring the Senate’s cautious approach.

Nevertheless, public opposition has been robust. Civil society groups and activists, including Enough is Enough, have mobilized campaigns using the hashtag #OccupyNASS, demanding reconsideration of the provision to ensure transparency and public confidence in election outcomes.

Some senators, including Abia South’s Eyinnaya Abaribe (APGA), have claimed that the amendment does accommodate electronic transmission, but confusion arose due to informal discussions during the clause-by-clause consideration. Still, public perception remains critical, and the emergency plenary is expected to address these concerns.

Other Key Amendments

Several other clauses of the Electoral Act were amended:

• Clause 47 (Voter Identification): The Senate retained the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as the sole mandatory identification method at polling units, rejecting proposals to use the National Identification Number (NIN), passport, or birth certificate. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) replaces smart card readers but still relies on the PVC.

• Clause 22 (PVC Offences): The Senate rejected a proposed 10-year jail term for buying or selling PVCs, retaining a 2-year imprisonment term while increasing fines from ₦2 million to ₦5 million.

• Clause 29 (Candidate Submission): The deadline for political parties to submit candidate lists was reduced from 120 to 90 days before elections.

• Clause 136 (Post-Election Disputes): The amendment removed the power of tribunals to declare winners outright in some cases, mandating rerun elections for candidates who fail to score the majority of lawful votes. This is a departure from the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows declaration of the runner-up if the winner is disqualified.

Public Pressure and the Road Ahead

As the Senate reconvenes, it faces the challenge of balancing legislative caution with public demand for transparency. Observers note that the emergency plenary may seek to clarify misunderstandings, reassert public trust, and potentially adjust contentious clauses to prevent nationwide protests.

The outcome of this session will be closely watched, as it may set the tone for Nigeria’s 2026 elections, especially regarding electronic transmission of results, voter identification, and post-election dispute resolution.