The House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, rescinded its earlier approval of Clause 60(3) in the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2025/2026, and adopted the Senate's version that permits both electronic and manual transmission of election results. The decision followed a chaotic plenary session marked by heated arguments, a closed-door executive session, and a dramatic walkout by opposition lawmakers.
The clause in contention governs the transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV). The House's original December 2025 version mandated compulsory real-time electronic transmission simultaneously with physical collation, requiring presiding officers to upload results via the IReV portal after signing and stamping Form EC8A, with countersigning by party agents where available.
In contrast, the Senate's February 2026 version introduced flexibility, allowing electronic transmission where feasible but permitting manual collation and transmission as a fallback in cases of network failure, technical glitches, or other disruptions. The House's adoption of the Senate wording effectively removes the strict "real-time" and "compulsory" requirements, aligning the two chambers closer for harmonization.
The move came after Hon. Francis Waive (APC, Delta), Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, moved a motion to rescind the House's prior decision and align with the Senate. Despite a voice vote appearing to favor the "nays," Speaker Tajudeen Abbas ruled in favor of the "ayes," prompting immediate uproar. Opposition members, predominantly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to weaken electoral safeguards ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As proceedings continued, protesting lawmakers staged a walkout from the chambers, chanting “APC, ole! APC, ole!” (meaning “APC, thieves!” in Yoruba). The demonstration disrupted plenary briefly before the House reconvened to complete clause-by-clause consideration. An amendment by Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun) and seconded by Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) to delete the manual transmission option entirely was defeated by voice vote.
The adopted Clause 60(3) now reads in line with the Senate version, allowing presiding officers to transmit results electronically to the IReV portal where possible, while permitting manual processes in instances of technological failure. Supporters of the change argue it provides necessary safeguards against disenfranchisement in rural or network-challenged areas, citing INEC's past experiences with connectivity issues during the 2023 elections.
Opposition lawmakers and civil society groups, however, condemned the decision as a retreat from transparency and a potential avenue for result manipulation. Protests outside the National Assembly gates continued throughout the day, with demonstrators holding placards demanding “Mandatory Real-Time Transmission” and “Protect Our Votes.” Groups such as the Yiaga Africa WatchingTheVote initiative and Enough is Enough Nigeria have reiterated that real-time transmission is feasible nationwide, citing assurances from the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) that even 2G networks can handle the small data packets required for result uploads.
The development follows weeks of intense debate and public pressure on the National Assembly to strengthen electoral integrity. The bill, if harmonized and assented to by President Bola Tinubu, would represent the first major amendment to the Electoral Act 2022 since its enactment. INEC has maintained neutrality on the legislative process but has previously emphasized the importance of flexible transmission options to accommodate diverse logistical realities.
With the House now aligned closer to the Senate's position, a conference committee is expected to finalize remaining differences before the bill returns for third reading and transmission to the President. The outcome has heightened political tensions, with opposition parties vowing to continue public advocacy and legal challenges if the final law is perceived to undermine credibility in future elections.
The rowdy session and walkout underscore the deep partisan divisions over electoral reforms in Nigeria, as the country edges closer to the 2027 general elections cycle.
