Senate Retains Both Electronic and Manual Transmission of Election Results

Concerned about the transmission of election results, the Senate clarified its stance on Section 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in its Votes and Proceedings of Wednesday, February 4 plenary.

The Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, made the motion that led to the change, which the Red Chamber later approved.

In accordance with the amended resolution, the Senate reiterated its decision to transmit election results from polling places electronically.

However, in order to solve potential technical issues, lawmakers added a precaution.

The new clarification states that the hard copy of Form EC8, which contains the results recorded at the polling station, will be the main source of collation in the event of a technical malfunction or communication error that hinders the successful electronic transfer of results.

The presiding election officer must appropriately fill out, stamp, and sign the document, and party representatives in attendance at the polling station must countersign it.

According to the development, handwritten documentation via Form EC8 will act as a fallback in the event of a technological breakdown, even though electronic transmission is still the preferred method.

The motion was adopted, but Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe counter-moved, calling for a division, which would require separate votes on Section 60(3) to clearly define each senator’s stance.

Abaribe retracted the motion, though, after Senate President Godswill Akpabio requested that he move forward with the proposal properly.

The explanation comes as public scrutiny of the Senate’s previous discussions, which provoked protests and debate across the country due to worries that findings were not being transmitted electronically in real time, has increased.

According to the Senate, electronic transmission is still a legal requirement, subject to practical considerations, as a result of the change to the Votes and Proceedings.