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Nigeria’s National Assembly on Tuesday approved the electronic transmission of election results for the upcoming 2027 general elections, but retained a manual backup clause, a decision that drew protests, heated argument on the floor and a walkout by opposition lawmakers.
The dramatic session exposed deep divisions within the 10th Assembly over how to modernise the country’s electoral process while safeguarding transparency and confidence. What was intended as a routine clause‑by‑clause consideration of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re‑Enactment) Bill, 2026 instead became one of the most contentious sittings in recent memory.
Under the amended Clause 60(3), returning officers will be required to electronically upload results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), but if electronic transmission is disrupted by network or communication failures, the manually completed and signed Form EC8A will serve as the primary basis for collation and declaration.
In the Senate, 55 lawmakers supported retaining the manual backup proviso, while a minority — led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC, Abia South) and backed by 14 others — stood against it. Opponents argued that discretionary manual fallback could compromise transparency and dilute the gains of technology in strengthening electoral credibility.
Tensions spilled into the House of Representatives, where the minority caucus staged a walkout, accusing the Speaker’s leadership of “railroading amendments” and frustrating efforts to insist on mandatory real‑time electronic transmission without caveats.
Protests also played out outside the National Assembly complex, with civil society activists and former government officials voicing concerns that the law as passed could weaken electoral safeguards instead of strengthening them. At least one former federal minister joined demonstrators calling for a more robust, technology‑centered approach to result transmission.
The development marks a key flashpoint in Nigeria’s electoral reform debate as the country prepares for the landmark 2027 polls, with stakeholders warning that how results are transmitted and collated will be critical to public trust and participation.
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Oyetoke Adedayo Ebenezer
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