Photo: Senate President , Godswill Akpabio

It is reconvening today for an emergency plenary session amid growing demands for the inclusion of mandatory electronic transmission of results in the amendment to the Electoral Act.

The upper chamber had adjourned plenary for two weeks last Wednesday after passing the Electoral Act amendment bill, to enable lawmakers to engage with heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the defence of their 2026 budget proposals.

The notice of the emergency sitting was contained in a memo dated 8 February and circulated to senators.

It was signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo.

In the memo, Mr Odo said he was acting on the directive of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The memo did not state the reason for the emergency plenary.

However, there are strong indications that it is connected to the outrage over the Electoral Act amendment bill passed last Wednesday before the adjournment.

Although several provisions of the law were amended, public attention has focused mainly on one controversial clause: the rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

• Peter Obi address the protesters in front of the National Assembly

The Executive Director of the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), Ezenwa Nwagwu, has described the protest around the transmission of election results in real-time as a step in the right direction.

Nwagwu made the declaration during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday.

“The current agitation that we have seen around the electoral act amendment is positive.

Positive in the sense that we have continued to ask for more and more citizen oversight over governance, over the activities of those who govern us,” he said.

PACCA emphasised that the conversation should go beyond the election transmission of results to cover collation and more in depth involvement of political parties

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has voiced strong concern over the Senate’s recent stance on the transmission of election results in the ongoing Electoral Act amendment process, warning that it is eroding public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a press statement, the NGE described the Senate’s decision to retain non-mandatory provisions—similar to those in the 2022 Electoral Act—as a step backward that fosters doubt and mistrust in Nigeria’s electoral system.

The group highlighted widespread public outrage, noting that the position contradicts the demands of most Nigerians and many lawmakers for compulsory, real-time electronic transmission from polling units to INEC’s central server and collation centres.

The NGE emphasized that mandatory and immediate transmission has become a global standard for enhancing transparency, efficiency, accuracy, and voter confidence while reducing fraud and disputes.

At a time when other democracies are advancing digital reforms, Nigeria risks missing a key opportunity to strengthen electoral integrity and democratic governance, the statement said.

With the National Assembly set to harmonize positions between the Senate and House of Representatives tomorrow (February 10, 2026), the Guild called on lawmakers to approve mandatory real-time transmission in the final bill.

Anything less, it warned, would be out of step with progressive electoral practices and could further discourage voter participation while undermining confidence that votes will count.

The statement comes amid broader backlash following the Senate’s February 4 passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026, which rejected proposals for compulsory e-transmission, prompting criticism from civil society, opposition parties, labour unions, and other stakeholders.