Senate Drama Over Electoral Bill: Transmission Wins, ‘Real-Time’ Loses
The Nigerian Senate turned into a battlefield of voices on Tuesday as lawmakers revisited last week’s proceedings on the Electoral Act amendment bill. The flashpoint? Clause 60(3) — the section that determines how election results move from polling units to the national portal.
Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) lit the fuse when he invoked Orders 1(b) and 52(6) to push for a reversal of the earlier decision. His motion swapped the word transfer for transmission — but crucially, it stripped out the phrase “in real time.”
That omission sparked uproar. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South) raised Order 72, demanding a division and vote. The chamber erupted in shouts of “point of order,” as senators clashed over whether results should be transmitted instantly or simply uploaded electronically without the guarantee of speed.
The original committee report had been clear: results were to be sent to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal in real time, after proper signing and stamping of Form EC8A. But Monguno’s motion effectively watered down that safeguard, leaving “real-time” transmission on the cutting-room floor.