The Nigerian Senate passed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026 on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, amid intense drama, a rowdy session, and a rare division vote that exposed deep divisions over electronic transmission of election results.
The upper chamber approved the legislation after heated deliberations on Clause 60(3), which governs how results from polling units are transmitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV). The provision mandates electronic transmission immediately after presiding officers sign and stamp Form EC8A (the manual polling unit result sheet), with countersignatures from party agents where available. However, it includes a controversial proviso allowing manual fallback using Form EC8A as the primary record for collation if network or communication failures occur.
The debate escalated when Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC, Abia South) rose on a point of order, invoking Senate Standing Order 72(1) to demand a formal division. Abaribe opposed the proviso, arguing it effectively made electronic transmission optional and risked undermining transparency by reopening avenues for manipulation during manual collation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio presided over the tense proceedings. He initially suggested Abaribe's earlier similar demand had been withdrawn, but opposition senators objected. Akpabio allowed the division: 55 senators stood in favour of retaining the proviso, while 15—mostly opposition members including Abaribe—opposed it and pushed for mandatory real-time electronic transmission without exceptions.
Akpabio announced the result, declaring the clause retained in its hybrid form. The bill also adjusted the election notice period from 360 to 300 days, enabling INEC to shift the 2027 general elections timetable to avoid clashing with Ramadan and Lent.
Following the passage, Akpabio defended the outcome as pragmatic and patriotic. He urged critics to "pick up the bill" before criticising, emphasising that the amendments would ensure smoother, more transparent polls in 2027. "After today, elections in 2027, if this is assented to and accompanied by the President, will be very smooth, transparent, and will reflect the will of the Nigerian people," Akpabio stated, congratulating senators for their dedication.
He highlighted the IReV portal as a major innovation since 1960, crediting it for real-time monitoring by observers. Akpabio portrayed the manual backup as a necessary safeguard against technical disruptions in rural areas with poor connectivity, preventing potential endless reruns or legal chaos.