The Senate on Wednesday passed the Electoral Bill 2026 after prolonged deliberations, rejecting a proposal to mandate real-time electronic transmission of election results while approving wide-ranging amendments to Nigeria’s electoral timelines, offences, and voting technology.
Central to the debate was Section 60 of the bill, which governs the transmission of polling unit results.
The provision became a flashpoint as lawmakers weighed demands for instant transparency against concerns over technical and logistical limitations across the country.
In a key vote, senators rejected a recommendation by the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters that sought to compel presiding officers to upload polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV) in real time.
Instead, the Senate retained the framework introduced in the 2022 Electoral Act, which mandates electronic transmission of results in a manner prescribed by INEC after votes have been counted and publicly announced at the polling unit.
Under the retained provision, presiding officers are required to count votes at the polling unit, record the results on prescribed forms, announce them openly, and transmit the results electronically to the appropriate collation centre as directed by the Commission.
Copies of the results must also be made available to polling agents and security personnel where present. Any violation attracts a fine of up to N500,000 or a minimum of six months’ imprisonment.
Lawmakers who opposed the real-time upload requirement argued that inconsistent network coverage and operational challenges could expose elections to avoidable disputes and undermine public confidence in the process.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, described the controversy as largely semantic, stressing that electronic transmission remains firmly embedded in the law.
“Electronic transmission has not been removed,” Adaramodu said. “Results will still be transmitted electronically and supported by physical documentation, ensuring verifiable records where disputes arise.”
Beyond the transmission issue, the Senate approved significant adjustments to the electoral calendar.
The election notice period was reduced from 360 days to 180 days, while the deadlines for submission of party candidate lists and nominations were shortened from 120 days and 180 days to 90 days, respectively.
In a move aimed at curbing electoral malpractice, lawmakers increased the fine for unlawful possession of voters’ cards from N500,000 to N5 million. However, the Senate rejected a proposal for a 10-year ban on vote-buyers, opting instead for stiffer financial penalties.
The bill also formally removed the smart card reader from the electoral framework and replaced it with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) as the sole voter accreditation technology.
Amendments further clarified that political parties cannot replace candidates disqualified after an election, with fresh polls to be conducted where applicable.
Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio dismissed claims that electronic transmission had been excised from the bill, maintaining that the Senate’s decision was intended to strengthen, not weaken, the credibility of elections.
“By retaining this provision, electronic transmission remains part of our law,” Akpabio said, commending senators for their extended deliberations on the bill.
He announced the constitution of a conference committee to harmonise the Senate and House of Representatives versions of the bill.
The committee, chaired by Senator Simon Lalong, is expected to conclude its work within one month ahead of transmission of the harmonised bill to the President for assent.
With the bill passed at third reading, attention now turns to its final form and the implications of the revised timelines, enforcement measures and transmission framework for future elections in Nigeria.
