The Senate has approved electronic transmission of election results directly from polling units across the country.
The decision followed a motion by Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, to rescind an earlier resolution rejecting real-time electronic transmission.
Last Wednesday, the chamber had upheld provisions of the Electoral Act, 2023, limiting the scope of electronic transfer of results.
However, lawmakers revisited the issue and adopted an amended Clause 60(3) to permit electronic transmission under specified conditions.
The revised clause authorises presiding officers to transmit results electronically after completing and signing Form EC8A.
Electronic transmission would be used where the technology functions effectively and remains accessible at polling units.
In cases where the system fails or cannot be deployed, the manually signed Form EC8A would serve as the primary record.
The amendment sparked debate during plenary, reflecting differing opinions among senators.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe initially demanded a formal division to determine votes on the clause.
He, however, withdrew the request shortly after, allowing the amendment to pass without a recorded vote.
The approval marks a significant shift in the Senate’s earlier stance on the conduct of elections.
