The Senate Minority Caucus has dismissed reports suggesting that the National Assembly has rejected the electronic transmission of election results in the ongoing amendment of Nigeria’s Electoral Act.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday at the National Assembly, the leader of the caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), said the Senate did not vote against electronic transmission but instead clarified and strengthened the provision.
Abaribe explained that the Senate deliberately adopted the term “electronic transmission” rather than “transfer”, which was used in the 2022 Electoral Act, describing the earlier wording as vague and susceptible to misinterpretation.
According to him, the Senate’s position clearly guarantees the electronic transmission of election results, contrary to claims circulating in parts of the media.
He further disclosed that an ad hoc committee was constituted to review the electoral reform report before lawmakers proceeded into a closed executive session, where outstanding issues were resolved ahead of plenary consideration.
The senator also clarified that the harmonisation process between the Senate and House of Representatives versions of the Electoral Amendment Bill has not been concluded.
He said the Senate must first formally adopt its Votes and Proceedings before the conference committee can meet to reconcile differences between both chambers.
On Wednesday, the Senate set up a conference committee to harmonise discrepancies between its version of the bill and that passed by the House of Representatives.
