The Senate on Wednesday retained the provision for electronic transfer of election results as contained in the Electoral Act 2022, rejecting proposals for compulsory real-time transmission and a 10-year ban on vote buyers as lawmakers continue work on amendments to the nation’s electoral law.
The decision followed consideration of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, during which the upper chamber opted to maintain existing provisions on results transmission and sanctions for electoral offences.
Lawmakers said the distinction between electronic transfer and real-time transmission of results was necessary to avoid legal and operational ambiguities in the conduct of elections.
Under the retained provision, “the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the commission.”
The Senate expunged a clause that would have made it mandatory for presiding officers to upload polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time after Form EC8A had been signed and stamped.
Similarly, the upper chamber rejected a proposed amendment that sought to impose a 10-year disqualification from contesting elections on individuals convicted of vote buying. The proposal had recommended penalties ranging from “a fine of N5 million to a two-year imprisonment and a 10-year ban from contesting elections.”
Objecting to the proposal, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) described the 10-year ban as “too grievous” and disproportionate to the offence. Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin supported the objection, arguing that penalties must be firm but reasonable and enforceable.
The Senate subsequently agreed that offenders should be liable to either a ₦5 million fine or a two-year term of imprisonment, without any additional ban from electoral participation.
Lawmakers also approved a reduction in electoral timelines, resolving that INEC should issue a notice of elections at least 180 days before polling day, rather than the current 360 days.
They further approved that nomination of candidates should close 90 days before an election.
In addition, the upper chamber retained the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation and affirmed the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as the sole means of voter identification at polling units.
Meanwhile, the Senate and the House of Representatives have commenced moves to reconcile differences in their respective versions of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill through a bipartisan Conference Committee constituted by both chambers.
The move followed disagreements over key provisions, particularly Section 60(3), which deals with the electronic transmission of election results from polling units.
While the Senate retained the existing provision of the Electoral Act, 2022, which states that “the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission,” the House version seeks to make real-time electronic transmission mandatory.
The House amendment provides that: “The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A have been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and/or counter-signed by the candidates or polling unit agents where available at the polling unit.”
In a correspondence dated 4 February 2026, Clerk to the House of Representatives, Dr Yahaya Danzaria, conveyed the directive of the House leadership naming members of its Conference Committee to interface with their Senate counterparts.
The House committee is chaired by Rep. Adebayo Balogun and includes Fred Agbedi, Sada Soli, Ahmadu Jaha, Iduma Igariwey Enwo, Saidu Musa Abdullahi, and Dr Zainab Gimba. The House later reviewed the committee’s composition to strengthen its capacity, adding Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase and Rep. Dr Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante.
House spokesman, Rep. Akin Rotimi, said the committee is “mandated to confer with its counterpart from the Senate with a view to harmonising the differing provisions of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill as passed by both Chambers, ahead of final passage by the National Assembly.”
He added that the Green Chamber remained committed to advancing electoral reforms that enhance transparency, credibility and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
On the Senate side, Senate President Akpabio announced members of its Conference Committee, to be chaired by Senator Simon Bako Lalong. Other members include Senators Niyi Adegbonmire, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Abbas and Tokunbo Abiru.
The Conference Committee is expected to harmonise areas of disagreement in the bill ahead of its final passage by the National Assembly, after which the amended Electoral Act will be transmitted to the President for assent.
- Nnamdi Kanu Files Appeal Against Life Imprisonment - February 5, 2026
- Massacre in Kwara: 75 Villagers Buried as Tinubu Orders Troop Deployment to Kaiama - February 5, 2026
- Senate, Reps to Work Out Differences on Electronic Transmission of Election Results - February 5, 2026