The Senate Minority Caucus has dismissed reports that the National Assembly rejected electronic transmission of election results while passing the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, insisting that the provision remains intact.
The clarification followed widespread criticism and media reports suggesting lawmakers voted against electronic transmission and other electoral reforms, including a proposed 10-year ban on vote-buying.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio had earlier described such reports as misleading, maintaining that the upper chamber retained the electronic transmission framework contained in the 2022 Electoral Act.
Addressing journalists, former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the caucus considered it necessary to correct what he called a misrepresentation of proceedings during Wednesday’s plenary.
He stressed that the Senate did not at any point reject electronic transmission of results and only reaffirmed the existing legal provision guiding the process.
According to him, the bill passed by lawmakers supports electronic transfer of results as earlier established, a position he said was also clarified by the Senate President on the floor of the chamber.
Abaribe explained that extensive legislative work preceded the decision, including joint committee engagements between the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as consultations with the Independent National Electoral Commission and civil society organisations.
He noted that the committees held several retreats and public hearings, during which stakeholders agreed on the importance of electronic transmission as a key mechanism for improving electoral transparency.
Following the submission of the committee’s report, an ad hoc committee was constituted to review outstanding issues before the bill returned to plenary.
Its recommendations, he said, were discussed during a closed-door session and later adopted.
He added that confusion may have arisen during plenary due to movement and noise in the chamber, giving the impression that the provision had been rejected.
Abaribe further explained that the Senate is yet to adopt the votes and proceedings of the session, a procedural step required before harmonisation with the House of Representatives can begin.
According to him, a harmonisation committee will reconcile differences between both chambers’ versions of the bill and produce a unified document for presidential assent.
He emphasised that the final record must accurately reflect the Senate’s position on electronic transmission of election results.
The lawmaker also stated that the Senate retains the authority to manage its internal processes, including the decision to set up an ad hoc committee alongside the standing committee on electoral matters.
Abaribe maintained that senators across party lines support transparent elections and see electronic transmission as central to safeguarding credibility in the electoral process.
He concluded that harmonisation cannot proceed until the Senate formally adopts the votes and proceedings confirming the provision for electronic transmission, insisting that the final document must reflect the true outcome of deliberations.
