Senate To Consider E-Transmission Of Results Thursday

Electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV) has emerged as a key recommendation in the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The recommendation is contained in the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, which is scheduled for consideration during plenary on Thursday.

The Senate took the decision on Wednesday following a briefing by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who informed lawmakers that copies of the committee’s report would be circulated to all senators for detailed scrutiny ahead of clause-by-clause consideration.

With the approval of the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Bamidele also disclosed that a brief closed-door session would precede deliberation on the report at the Committee of the Whole.

A copy of the report circulated on Wednesday showed that a new subsection (3) has been introduced on page 45 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

It is aimed at curbing manipulation of results and ballot box snatching.

The proposed provision states that INEC “shall electronically transmit election results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time, and such transmission shall be done simultaneously with physical collation of results.”

The committee also introduced a new subsection (2) to Section 77, making it an offence for presiding officers to fail to sign and stamp ballot papers and results announced by them.

Additionally, Sections 47(2) and (3) were amended to replace the term “smart card reader” with “Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).”

To further strengthen the integrity of the voting process, the committee amended Section 54(1) to prevent political party agents, candidates or officials from accompanying visually impaired or incapacitated voters into voting compartments — a move aimed at curbing undue influence.

The report also recommends stiffer penalties for the buying and selling of voters’ cards, proposing an increase in the fine under Section 22 from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million.

Describing the Electoral Act amendment as a highly sensitive legislation, Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged senators to thoroughly study the report before its final consideration.

“Distinguished colleagues, as suggested by the Senate Leader, please study the report carefully ahead of tomorrow’s final consideration, beginning with the closed-door session and deliberations at the Committee of the Whole,” Akpabio said.