The Senate on Tuesday, the 10th of February, 2026, revised Section 60 of the Electoral Act, introducing provisions that permit presiding officers at polling units to electronically forward election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Results Viewing Portal (IREV).
The amendment was adopted during an emergency plenary session, where Senate President Godswill Akpabio explained how the revised process would operate under the law.
According to Akpabio, the updated provision mandates that results be uploaded electronically once the necessary documentation has been completed at the polling unit.
“The presiding officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal after Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the presiding officer, and/or countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available at the polling units,” Akpabio said.
He further addressed concerns over potential network or technical disruptions, outlining an alternative procedure to guide collation in such circumstances.
“Provided that if the electronic transmission of the results fails as a result of communication failure, the manually signed and stamped Form EC8A shall be the primary source of collation and declaration of results,” he added.
The amendment, passed as Clause 60(3), stemmed from a motion moved by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno, who sought a reversal of the chamber’s earlier position against real-time electronic transmission of results.
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Previously, the Senate had maintained the framework of the 2023 Electoral Act, which placed restrictions on electronic transmission.
Under the revised provision, presiding officers are authorised to transmit results electronically where technological conditions permit, while ensuring that the manually signed Form EC8A remains the final authority in cases of system failure.
The decision triggered intense deliberations on the Senate floor, with Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe initially requesting a division on the issue before later withdrawing the motion.