Akpabio: ‘Real-Time’ Results Transmission Without Guaranteed Power, Internet?

…Senate Holds Emergency Sitting Tuesday on Electoral Act Amendment

By Franklin Adole

The Senate will convene an emergency plenary sitting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to address mounting public controversy surrounding its recent amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly the decision to drop a clause mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results.

The emergency sitting was announced on Sunday in a statement signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, who said the session would commence at 12 noon and that all senators had been directed to attend.

“The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has directed the reconvening of plenary for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026,” the statement said.

The development comes days after the Senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill on February 4 but rejected Clause 60(3), which sought to compel presiding officers at polling units to transmit results electronically and in real time to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

Instead, the upper chamber retained the existing provision that allows results to be electronically transferred at INEC’s discretion after votes are counted and publicly announced at polling units.

The decision sparked sharp reactions from civil society organisations, opposition parties and election observers, who described it as a reversal that could weaken transparency and public confidence in the electoral process.

However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has defended the chamber’s position, insisting that the National Assembly did not reject electronic transmission of results and warning against what he described as premature public attacks on an unfinished legislative process.

Speaking on Saturday in Abuja at the public presentation of a book, “The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria,” authored by Senator Effiong Bob, Akpabio said criticisms over Section 60(3) were misplaced, as the bill had not been fully concluded.

According to him, the Senate had yet to adopt the Votes and Proceedings of the bill, a stage at which lawmakers could still introduce amendments.

“We have not passed the votes and proceedings; there is still harmonisation, but people are already on television sitting on panels abusing the Senate for something that is yet to be completed,” Akpabio said.

“We have not completed it until we look at the votes and proceedings. When we bring out the votes and proceedings, any senator has the right to rise up to amend it. Why abuse the Senate when what we have is incomplete?”

He stressed that the legislature would not bow to pressure from interest groups or public commentators, adding that retreats or agreements reached outside the National Assembly did not amount to lawmaking.

“We will not be intimidated but do what is right for Nigeria, not that of one NGO. Retreats are not lawmaking,” he said.

Explaining the Senate’s position on real-time transmission, Akpabio said lawmakers only proposed the removal of the words “real-time” to give INEC flexibility in determining the most appropriate mode of results transmission.

“All we said is remove the words ‘real-time’ to allow INEC decide the mode of transmission. If you make it mandatory and there is failure of the system, there will be catastrophe,” he said.

Questioning the practicality of real-time transmission nationwide, the Senate President added: “Real-time means there will be no election results in states where there is no network or where there is grid breakdown. How do you want real-time transmission of results when you can’t guarantee electricity and internet network?”

He warned that rigid technological provisions could undermine, rather than strengthen, the democratic process. “Technology must save democracy, not endanger it. You put real-time in law when you don’t even have electricity in your community,” Akpabio said.

He maintained that the door remained open for further inputs and adjustments through the conference committee and final approval of the Votes and Proceedings before the bill is transmitted for assent.

Tuesday’s emergency sitting is expected to revisit the contentious amendment amid sustained public outcry and the possibility of legal challenges by stakeholders.