Electoral Act Amendment Sparks Backlash As Senate Rejects Compulsory IReV Upload
By TOSAN OYAKHILOME-AKAHOMEN
PUBLIC outrage erupted on Wednesday following the Senate’s decision to retain provisions in the Electoral Act that do not make real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal mandatory.
The decision formed part of the passage of the long-awaited Electoral Act Amendment Bill, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, civil society actors, and prominent political figures who argue that it weakens transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
What the Senate Approved
Earlier recommendations by the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters had proposed a clear provision mandating presiding officers to electronically transmit polling unit results to the IReV portal in real time. However, the Senate rejected this proposal and instead retained the wording in the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows results to be transmitted either electronically or manually “in a manner as prescribed by the commission.”
This effectively leaves the decision on electronic transmission to the discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rather than making it compulsory.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, however, dismissed claims that the Senate had rejected electronic transmission outright.
“We only retained what was in the previous provision. There is no way, in this era of electronics, that we will go backwards,” Akpabio said, insisting that electronic transmission remains part of Nigeria’s electoral framework.
Opposition, Stakeholders React
The decision immediately triggered condemnation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which described the Senate’s action as a setback to democratic consolidation.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP said the rejection of mandatory electronic transmission undermines the will of voters and encourages electoral malpractice.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also condemned the Senate’s action, calling it a “calculated blow against transparency, credibility, and public trust.”
According to Atiku, real-time electronic transmission is a democratic safeguard that limits human interference and reduces post-election disputes.
“This decision raises troubling questions about the commitment of the ruling political establishment to free, fair, and credible elections in 2027,” he warned.
Similarly, Action Democratic Party (ADP) National Chairman, Engr. Sani Yabagi, described the Senate’s action as an anti-climax, noting that Nigerians had demanded amendments specifically to close gaps in result transmission.
Warnings of Wider Consequences
Founder of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, warned that the Senate’s action could provoke public unrest.
He argued that Nigerians would increasingly rely on polling-unit-level records to challenge official results, warning that any discrepancy could have serious consequences for national stability.
“Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder,” Okorie cautioned.
Other Key Electoral Amendments
Beyond result transmission, the Senate adopted several other far-reaching amendments. Courts were barred from declaring runners-up winners if the original winner is disqualified after scoring less than 20 per cent of total votes. Instead, affected elections would be rerun excluding both the disqualified candidate and their political party.
The Senate also increased penalties for unlawful possession of a voter’s card from a ₦500,000 fine to ₦5 million or two years’ imprisonment.
In addition, lawmakers rejected proposals allowing digital or downloadable voter cards, maintaining the requirement for physical Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs).
Next Steps
Following the passage, the Senate resolved to set up a Conference Committee to harmonise its version of the bill with that earlier passed by the House of Representatives. Lawmakers aim to transmit the harmonised bill to the President within the month.
