Electoral Act: After rowdy session, Senate appoints 12 members to work with Reps
The Senate on Tuesday appointed 12 members to work with the House of Representatives to harmonise the controversial amendment to the Electoral Amendment Act, following recent public uproar over the bill.
The announcement was made by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during an emergency plenary session.
SolaceBase reports that proceedings became rowdy following disagreements over a motion to reverse the decision on the electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Tensions rose after a motion sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno of Borno North was put up for consideration.
Monguno had suggested that the Senate reverse its approval of clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026.
The clause concerns the modalities for the electronic transmission of election results.
The senate later approved the electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s result viewing portal (IReV), while allowing manual collation to serve as a fallback where technology fails.
According to Akpabio, the committee will liaise with their counterparts in the House of Representatives to reconcile differences between the two chambers’ versions of the bill.
The appointed lawmakers include Senators Simon Bako Lalong as chair, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Orji Uzor Kalu, Tokunbo Abiru, Adeniyi Adegbonmire, and Jibrin Isa Ochocho.
Akpabio urged the lawmakers to meet on time and resolve the issues so the president can sign the bill this month.
The Electoral Amendment Act has faced widespread debate, particularly over provisions related to the electronic transmission of election results.
Critics have argued that the Senate’s adjustments, including the removal of the phrase “real-time” from the e-transmission clause, could undermine transparency and electoral credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The joint committee is expected to deliberate on these contentious issues, including voting timelines, transmission of results, and other technical reforms, before presenting a harmonised version for final approval by both chambers.
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