Akpabio Explains Senate’s Stance on Electronic Transmission of Election Results

Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has clarified that the Senate did not abolish electronic transmission of election results but only retained the provision as contained in the Electoral Act 2022.

Akpabio made the clarification following public reactions to the Senate’s decision on February 4 to reject a proposal seeking to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory during the consideration of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026.

He explained that the Senate merely upheld the existing provision in the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows electronic transmission of results but does not compel real-time transmission. Under the current law, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is permitted to transmit results electronically, while manual collation remains legally recognised.

The proposed amendment had sought to enforce compulsory real-time electronic transmission of results and link it directly to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV). The Senate’s decision to remove the “real-time” requirement, however, sparked public criticism and renewed debates over electoral transparency.

Speaking in Abuja at the presentation of a book titled The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria by former Senator Effiong Bob, Akpabio stressed that electronic transmission of results remains lawful.

“I must state clearly, without ambiguity, that the Senate has not removed any means of transmission,” he said.

According to Akpabio, the removal of the phrase “real time” was aimed at preventing legal and operational challenges that could arise from poor network coverage, technical glitches, or security issues that may delay instant transmission of results.

He noted that making real-time transmission compulsory could expose the electoral process to avoidable litigation if results are not uploaded immediately due to factors beyond the control of election officials.

Akpabio further explained that in areas with weak network infrastructure or security concerns, strict real-time requirements could undermine otherwise credible elections.

He said the Senate’s decision was intended to give INEC the flexibility to adopt the most suitable and practical method of transmitting election results, depending on prevailing conditions, while still allowing the use of electronic transmission wherever possible.