The Senate Minority Caucus has moved to clear the air over reports claiming that the National Assembly rejected the electronic transmission of election results during the passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
The clarification comes amid public backlash that followed viral media reports suggesting that lawmakers voted against electronic transmission of results and discarded proposals such as a 10-year ban on vote buyers and other electoral offenders.
Reacting swiftly to the controversy, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the reports as misleading. He reaffirmed that the Senate preserved electronic transmission of election results as already provided for under the 2022 Electoral Act, stressing that the lawmakers’ position was guided by the need to avoid legal and operational ambiguities.
Speaking with journalists on Thursday, former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the Minority Caucus was compelled to address what he called a widespread misinterpretation of proceedings at Wednesday’s plenary.
“Since yesterday, the media space has been flooded with reports claiming that the Senate rejected electronic transmission of election results. That claim is simply not true,” Abaribe stated.
“To be absolutely clear, the Senate did not—let me repeat, did not—reject electronic transmission of election results as provided for in the 2022 Electoral Act.”
He explained that the Senate, in fact, passed provisions that uphold electronic transmission, a point that was clearly stated by the Senate President during plenary deliberations.
Abaribe emphasized that senators are custodians of public trust bestowed by their constituents, making it imperative to correct any misunderstanding that could undermine public confidence.
“We are here on the strength of the trust given to us by our senatorial districts. Whenever our actions are misconstrued, it becomes our responsibility to explain clearly and transparently what actually transpired,” he said.
Tracing the legislative journey of the bill, Abaribe noted that the process began with a joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives on electoral matters.
He said the committee held several retreats, both within and outside Abuja, involving key stakeholders such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society organisations.
“At the conclusion of those engagements, there was a clear consensus that electronic transmission of results was the way forward. That agreement was duly captured in the reports submitted to both chambers,” he explained.
According to Abaribe, the bill benefited from robust debates, public hearings, and wide-ranging consultations, with electronic transmission of results emerging as a central and non-negotiable provision.
He added that after the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters presented its report, an Ad hoc Committee was constituted to further scrutinize the document, underscoring the thoroughness of the legislative process.
The Minority Caucus, he said, hopes the clarification will put the matter to rest and reassure Nigerians of the Senate’s commitment to credible, transparent, and technologically driven elections.
About the Author
