Both arms of the National Assembly have adopted the hybrid transmission of manual and electric transmission of election
results in the Electoral Act amendments for the 2007 elections.
The Senate maintained its earlier position and retained both manual transmission of results in Electoral Act Amendment Bill where electronic transmission failed due to network issues.
However, rowdiness engulfed the House of Representatives as Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive (APC – Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency) moved a motion for the rescission of the earlier passed Electoral Amendment Bill 2026.
In the Senate, the Clause 60 proviso was retained after heated debate and division of votes:
✅ 55 Senators supported
❌ 15 opposed
Proceedings in the House of Representatives did not go without drama.
The House of Representatives earlier passed the Bill on 23rd December 2025, backing Article 60(3): mandatory real-time transmission of results through the IReV portal, a move the Senate passed with a proviso (manual voting when network fails).
Calls by Hon. Waive to recall the Bill caused an uproar in the green chamber prompting an Executive session (behind closed doors).
Returning to resume plenary, the House dissolved into a Committee of the whole chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu. The Bende-born lawmaker however chose to carry the clauses in 10s (Clause 40-50, Clause 50-60), and hitting the gavel continuously with lawmakers in complete disarray.
Majority lawmakers called for a clause-by-clause review which the Deputy Speaker acceded to.
Nonetheless, he hit the gavel on Clause 60 with a proviso as passed by the Senate (manual transmission where network fails), causing chaos and protests from lawmakers who are demanding he turns down amendments to Clause 60.
Bamidele Salam (PDP- Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency) moved a motion to remove the proviso, seconded by Kingsley Chinda (PDP – Obi-Akpor), but it failed with majority ‘nays’.
Ugochinyere Ikenga (Imo) moved a motion for an amendment that results transmitted to IReV if successful must tally with Form EC8A, seconded by Ginger Onwusibe (Abia).
But the proposed amendment failed with majority ‘nays’.
An unidentified member shouted into the microphone: “They have collected money,” after which members staged a walkout.
The Minority caucus of the House of Representatives staged their walkout chanting “APC OLE”
The House subsequently passed the Senate-type manual and electronic transmission of results via voice votes.
