National News
BREAKING: Senate rejects mandatory electronic transmission of election results
The decision effectively leaves electronic transmission optional rather than compulsory.
The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday declined a proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill that sought to make electronic transmission of election results compulsory.
Under the rejected amendment, presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would have been required to transmit results from each polling unit directly to the INEC Results Viewing (IREV) portal in real time, after completing and signing the prescribed Form EC&A, which would also need to be countersigned by party agents and candidates.
Instead, the upper chamber retained the current provision of the Electoral Act, which allows presiding officers to transmit results “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission,” without mandating electronic submission.
The decision underscores the Senate’s cautious approach to digitisation in the electoral process, as debates continue over the best method to ensure transparency, accuracy, and timely reporting of election outcomes.
More to come.

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