The Senate’s recent decision to partially reverse its position on the electronic transmission of election results has drawn cautious praise from civil society groups, even as concerns persist over unresolved loopholes in Nigeria’s electoral framework.

In a statement issued by AdvoKC Foundation through its Communication Manager, Luqman Adamu, the civic society acknowledged the Senate’s approval of a revised provision mandating Presiding Officers to electronically transmit polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after votes are counted and Form EC8A is signed and stamped.

The organisation described the move as a significant outcome of sustained citizen advocacy following controversies that trailed the 2023 general elections.
According to the group, the shift was driven by days of coordinated digital campaigns, public engagement, and physical protests by Nigerians demanding reforms to prevent a repeat of the failures witnessed during the last election cycle.

It noted that the Senate’s action demonstrated the impact of civic pressure on legislative decision-making.
However, AdvoKC Foundation stressed that the amendment, as passed by the Senate, falls short of addressing the core weaknesses exposed in 2023. The organisation criticised the retention of a clause allowing manual collation of results in cases of so-called communication failure, warning that the provision could undermine transparency and public confidence.

“The Senate has again failed to comprehensively fulfil its own legislative agenda to fix the glaring gaps identified during the 2023 elections,” the statement said, adding that manual fallback option risks recreating the same discretionary practices that weakened trust in the electoral process.
Attention has now shifted to the Conference Committee of the National Assembly, responsible for harmonising the differing versions of the amendment passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The committee is jointly led by Senator Simon Lalong for the Senate and Hon. Adebayo Balogun for the House.
AdvoKC Foundation urged the committee to adopt the House of Representatives’ version of the bill, which it described as more robust and technically sound. The group highlighted key provisions in the House version, including extending the notice period for elections from 180 to 360 days to improve logistics, and imposing stiffer penalties for vote buying to curb voter inducement.

The organisation argued that adopting the House version would eliminate ambiguities that allow administrative discretion to override transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

Describing the harmonisation stage as the final opportunity for meaningful reform, the foundation said a strengthened Electoral Act is essential to restoring confidence in Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Citizens have done their part by speaking out and organising. The responsibility now lies with the Conference Committee to complete the process and deliver a law that protects the vote and leaves no room for manipulation,” the statement concluded.

The Electoral Act amendment process remains under close watch from civil society and political stakeholders nationwide.