By DAYO ADESULU
Fresh controversy has erupted in the Nigerian National Assembly as a Senate source alleged that the version of the Electoral Bill circulated on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, had been altered. The source claimed that a crucial clause mandating electronic transmission of election results had been removed, raising concerns over transparency and legislative integrity.
Discrepancy in Clauses Sparks Debate
According to the source, the clause initially passed on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, required presiding officers at polling units to transmit results electronically in real time to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
However, the Votes and Proceedings released on February 10 reportedly omitted this provision. Instead, the amended version focuses on manual transmission of results to the next level of collation, a shift described by the source as inconsistent with the Senate’s original decision.
“This is not what the Senate passed last week,” the source said, cautioning that the chamber could resume sitting anytime to address the alleged discrepancy.
Clause 59 and 60: What Lawmakers Approved
Documents from the February 4 sitting indicate that lawmakers had considered and adopted recommendations on vote counting and result transmission clauses.
Clause 59: Retained without amendment, as moved by Senator Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau South).
Clause 60: Originally required the Presiding Officer to record votes on prescribed forms, have them signed and stamped, and electronically transmit results to the IREV portal in real time.
An amendment proposed by Senator Mohammed Tahir Munguno (Borno North) sought to delete Clause 60(3) and replace it with wording from Section 60(3) of the principal Act. This version, now appearing as Clause 60(5), mandates that the Presiding Officer transmit results—including total accredited voters—to the next level of collation.
The source insisted this amendment did not reflect what the Senate had approved, labeling the change as fraudulent.
Senate Confirms Other Provisions
Aside from Clause 60, the Senate passed several other provisions:
Clause 61: Allows a candidate or polling agent to request a recount of votes at a polling unit, limited to a single occurrence.
Clause 62: Details post-election procedures and collation, requiring presiding officers to deliver results and election materials securely to designated INEC officials, accompanied by candidates or their agents where available.
While these clauses were approved, the alleged tampering in Clause 60 has generated serious debate within the National Assembly and among election stakeholders.
Allegations Against Senate Leadership
The source further claimed that Senator Mohammed Tahir Munguno, in coordination with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other APC senators, introduced provisos affecting electronic transmission of results to the IREV portal. Critics argue that these changes undermine the transparency measures originally approved by the Senate and could potentially impact public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Documents from the February 4 sitting outline the Senate’s initial agreement: presiding officers were to count votes, record them in prescribed forms, have forms signed and stamped, and transmit results electronically. The amendment, however, replaced the electronic transmission requirement with a focus on manual collation, raising questions about legislative fidelity.
Next Steps and Possible Senate Response
The controversy has heightened tensions within the National Assembly, with sources suggesting that the Senate may reconvene to reconcile discrepancies in the Votes and Proceedings. Lawmakers and election observers are closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing the importance of accurate and transparent legislative processes in ensuring credible elections.
Observers note that the outcome of this dispute could significantly influence Nigeria’s electoral transparency and the credibility of the upcoming elections, given the centrality of electronic result transmission in mitigating fraud.
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