Members of the minority caucus in the House of Representatives on Tuesday staged a dramatic walkout during plenary after the chamber voted to retain a controversial clause in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides for both electronic and manual transmission of election results.
The protest followed the adoption of Clause 60(3), which allows for real-time electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV), while also permitting manual transmission in the event of technical glitches, network failures or other disruptions.
The clause was sustained through a voice vote, with the “nays” prevailing, effectively defeating a proposal seeking to expunge the manual transmission option from the bill.
The motion to delete the manual fallback was moved by Rep. Bamidele Salam and seconded by Rep. Kingsley Chinda, who argued that retaining manual transmission could undermine electoral transparency and reverse technological gains recorded in recent elections.
Salam warned that allowing dual transmission methods would create room for manipulation, particularly in areas with weak network coverage, and weaken public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, lawmakers from the majority caucus insisted that the dual mechanism was necessary as a safeguard against unforeseen technical failures that could disrupt the collation process.
Following the defeat of the amendment, opposition lawmakers rose from their seats, chanting “APC Ole” as they walked out of the chamber in protest, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress of deliberately preserving what they described as loopholes in the electoral framework.
The plenary continued after the minority caucus exited, with the majority proceeding to adopt the clause as presented.
The development underscores deepening partisan divisions within the National Assembly over the ongoing review of Nigeria’s electoral laws.
While the House has opted for a dual-transmission model, the Senate is understood to have introduced additional safeguards in its version of the bill to address concerns relating to technical failures and result integrity.
Both chambers are expected to harmonise their positions through a Conference Committee before transmitting the final version of the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The proposed amendments form part of broader electoral reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, credibility and public trust in Nigeria’s democratic process.
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