Adopt House Of Reps Version Of Real – Time Electronic Transmission Of Results, YERP-Naija Tells Senate 

By Joseph Sunday 

The Nigerian Senate has been called upon by the Youth Electoral Reform Project, YERP-Naija, Consortium to as a matter of urgency adopt the version of the provision of the Real – Time Electronic Transmission Of Election Results passed by the House of Representatives of the National Assembly in Abuja and known as the Green Chamber. 

The call was contained in a press release made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

In the statement, the coalition welcomed the Senate’s emergency sitting to reconsider Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which addresses the transmission of election results.

The Senate had initially rejected electronic transmission of results, drawing widespread public criticism.

However, at its sitting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the upper chamber revisited the clause and adopted electronic transmission.

While commending the Senate for responding to public concerns, YERP-Naija maintained that the amendment did not go far enough, noting that the House of Representatives’ version passed in December 2025 makes electronic transmission mandatory and in real time.

The group expressed concern over the Senate’s provision permitting a return to manual transmission in cases of technological failure, warning that such a clause could create opportunities for electoral manipulation.

“The provision that permits manual transfer of results when technology fails opens a window for electoral fraud. Individuals or groups with intent to manipulate elections could exploit connectivity challenges to revert to the manual process,” the statement read.

According to the coalition, internet connectivity across Nigeria has improved considerably and can be further strengthened before the 2027 general elections. 

It also pointed out that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is capable of timestamping results uploaded without network connectivity and automatically transmitting them to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal once connectivity is restored.

YERP-Naija further noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already deployed electronic transmission technology during the 2023 general elections, stressing that the demand for mandatory real-time transmission was not new.

The statement also referenced expert opinions from professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), affirming that real-time transmission of results is feasible ahead of the 2027 polls.

The coalition welcomed the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio’s directive to the Conference Committee to conclude harmonisation of the differing versions of the bill within one week to enable presidential assent before the end of February 2026.

It emphasised that with the 2027 general elections approaching, timely passage of a strengthened Electoral Act amendment and related constitutional amendments is critical to ensuring credible elections and sustaining public confidence in the electoral system.

YERP-Naija reaffirmed its commitment to engaging lawmakers and stakeholders to advance reforms that promote transparency, credibility and inclusive democratic governance.

YERP-Naija is a non-partisan coalition of youth-focused civil society organisations with presence across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. 

The group has been advocating electoral reforms based on nationwide youth consultations and has participated in several National Assembly public hearings on constitutional and electoral amendments.