The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has formally announced plans to reconvene for an emergency plenary sitting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, in response to escalating public controversy surrounding recent amendments to the Electoral Act. The directive, contained in a memo dated February 8 and signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, instructs all senators to attend the session scheduled to begin at 12 noon in the Senate Chamber.
The emergency sitting follows the Senate’s passing of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 on February 4, during which lawmakers voted down a proposed amendment to Clause 60(3) that would have made the electronic transmission of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal mandatory and in real time. Instead, the Senate retained the existing discretionary provision that allows electronic transmission only after votes are counted and publicly announced at polling units.
The rejected clause had sought to require INEC presiding officers to electronically upload results immediately after the conclusion of voting and the signing of result forms — a reform widely seen by activists and opposition figures as essential for enhancing transparency and deterring manipulation. Critics argue that maintaining the discretionary clause reinforces ambiguity and risks undermining confidence in electoral outcomes.
Civil society organisations and prominent public figures have been particularly vocal:
• Oby Ezekwesili, former minister and governance advocate, warned lawmakers against preserving “dangerous ambiguity” in the law, saying optional e-transmission erodes public trust and fails to address opacity witnessed in past elections.
• The Youth-led Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija) Consortium expressed disappointment that real-time electronic transmission was not adopted, urging that its inclusion is necessary for credible polls.
• The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has even threatened boycotts or mass action if clear provisions on electronic result transmission are not enshrined for the 2027 general elections.
• The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the Senate’s rejection as “shameful and unfortunate,” saying it signals a lack of commitment to electoral integrity.
A Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, condemned the Senate action as undemocratic and self-serving, warning it could undermine constitutional imperatives for free and fair elections. The group also highlighted concerns that other proposed reforms — such as digitally enabled voter cards with QR codes — were dropped, potentially disenfranchising voters and slowing technological progress in elections.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has publicly defended the legislative approach, insisting that the chamber did not abolish electronic transmission but opted to remove the “real-time” wording to preserve flexibility for INEC given infrastructure and network constraints across the country. Akpabio argues that retaining operational discretion will prevent practical challenges that could nullify elections in areas without reliable connectivity.
He emphasised that electronic transmission remains part of the law, as already provided in the 2022 Electoral Act, and that the controversy stemmed from misinterpretation of legislative language rather than outright rejection of technology.
Tuesday’s emergency plenary is widely expected to revisit the contentious Clause 60(3), with strong indications that the Senate may reconsider its earlier decision in light of sustained public backlash, political pressure, and potential legal challenges, including looming threats of litigation by human rights lawyers such as Femi Falana.
The outcome of the session could have far-reaching implications for electoral framework, particularly the ongoing debate over how best to balance electoral integrity, technological feasibility, and democratic accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
