President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, has clarified that the Senate did not reject the electronic transmission of election results, but merely retained the existing provision contained in the 2022 Electoral Act.

Mr. Akpabio spoke on Saturday in Abuja during a book launch on the responsibilities of legislators in Nigeria.

He explained that electronic transmission remains permissible, but the phrase “real time” was removed to avoid legal and technical complications.

“All we said during discussion was that we should remove the word ‘real-time’ because if you say real-time and there is a network or grid failure, and the network is not working, when you go to court somebody will say it ought to have been real-time. That was all we said,” he said.

He emphasised that the decision would allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the flexibility to determine the most appropriate mode of transmitting results, taking into account technological and security challenges.

The Senate President stressed that the upper chamber would continue to enact legislation that reflects the wishes of Nigerians.

Reacting, former Senate President, Sen. David Mark, said the National Assembly should allow INEC to independently determine whether or not to transmit results electronically. He added that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) fully supports electronic transmission.

Public outrage had followed the Senate’s passage last week of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 through third reading.

However, the chamber declined to approve a proposed amendment to Clause 60(3) that would have made electronic transmission mandatory.

The rejected clause would have required INEC presiding officers to electronically transmit results from each polling unit to the IReV portal in real time after completing and signing the prescribed Form EC&A.

Instead, the Senate retained the existing provision, which states that “the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including the total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”