Nigeria’s Senate amends the Electoral Act to mandate electronic transmission of polling unit results to IReV, with manual forms as backup.
Nigeria’s Senate has amended the Electoral Act to strengthen transparency in the conduct of elections by mandating the electronic transmission of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
The amendment, passed on Tuesday, modifies Clause 60 of the Electoral Act to require every presiding officer at a polling unit to upload election results electronically immediately after votes are counted. This move follows widespread public criticism of an earlier version of the bill that granted INEC discretionary powers over result transmission.
Under the new provision, electronic transmission to the IReV portal is now the primary method for result reporting.
However, the Senate also acknowledged Nigeria’s persistent network and communication challenges. Where electronic transmission is not possible due to technical or connectivity failures, the manually completed and signed result sheet, known as Form EC8A, will serve as the legally recognized document for result collation.
The amendment was influenced by heated debates on the Senate floor, including objections raised by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who cited poor network coverage in parts of his constituency as a major concern.
Lawmakers argued that a balance was needed between technological advancement and on-the-ground realities in rural communities.
Following the amendment, a conference committee will be constituted to harmonize the Senate’s position with that of the House of Representatives, which has proposed a stricter framework that mandates real-time electronic upload of results without exceptions.
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As preparations gradually build toward the 2027 general elections, the revised clause is being closely monitored by citizens, civil society groups, and political stakeholders, many of whom see electronic transmission as critical to restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.