The Senate Minority Caucus on Thursday clarified that the Senate did not reject the electronic transmission of election results before passing the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, contrary to widespread media reports.
The clarification came a day after the upper chamber faced criticism following reports that lawmakers had voted against electronic transmission of results and a proposed 10-year ban on vote buyers and other electoral offenders.
Reacting to the reports on Wednesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio dismissed them as misleading, insisting that electronic transmission of results, as provided for in the 2022 Electoral Act, was retained. He said the distinction was necessary to avoid legal and operational ambiguities.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the caucus was compelled to address what he described as a widespread misunderstanding of Wednesday’s plenary proceedings.
“Since yesterday, the media has been awash with reports suggesting that the Senate rejected the electronic transmission of election results. That is not correct,” Abaribe said.
“To put the record straight, the Senate did not — I repeat, did not reject electronic transmission of results as provided for in the 2022 Electoral Act.”
He explained that the Senate, in fact, passed the provision for electronic transmission of results, a position that was also affirmed by the Senate President during plenary.
Abaribe said senators owed the public clarity, stressing that misunderstandings of legislative proceedings made it necessary for the caucus to set the record straight.
“We came here under the trust of our senatorial districts. When it appears that our actions have been misunderstood, it becomes necessary to clarify exactly what happened,” he said.
He traced the decision to the work of the joint Senate–House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, which, he said, held several retreats within and outside Abuja with the participation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society organisations.
“At the end of those engagements, everyone agreed that electronic transmission of results was the way to go. That consensus was reflected in the reports submitted to both chambers,” Abaribe said.
He added that the process included extensive debates, public hearings and consultations, describing electronic transmission of results as a core and non-negotiable provision of the bill.
Following the submission of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters’ report, an ad hoc committee chaired by Senator Sadiq Umar was constituted to further review the document, he said.
According to Abaribe, the committee’s report was deliberated upon during a closed-door session aimed at resolving outstanding issues before the bill returned to plenary for passage.
“The executive session was held to tidy up unresolved matters so that the bill could be passed without rancour,” he explained.
He said the Senate Electoral Committee, the ad hoc committee and senators present at the executive session unanimously agreed on electronic transmission of results, as contained in Section 65 of the bill.
“At plenary, we passed the electronic transmission of results. However, because of movement and noise in the chamber, it appeared to some observers that something went wrong,” he said.
Abaribe added that senators later sought clarification and were reassured, noting that video recordings also show the Senate President confirming that the provision was approved.
He further explained that a harmonisation committee was set up to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, particularly on timelines.
“The role of the harmonisation committee is to align both versions and produce a single document for presidential assent,” he said.
However, Abaribe noted that the Senate has yet to adopt the Votes and Proceedings — a procedural requirement before harmonisation can begin.
“After plenary, we adjourned without adopting the Votes and Proceedings. Under our rules, harmonisation cannot commence without that step,” he said.
He assured that the Senate would reconvene to adopt the Votes and Proceedings, stressing that the record must clearly reflect the passage of electronic transmission of results.
“Only after that can harmonisation begin. At that stage, you either adopt the House version or the Senate version, nothing else,” he said.
Abaribe reiterated that the Senate approved electronic transmission of results in real time.
“This is not a party matter,” he said. “Senators across party lines agree because transparent, free and fair elections are the foundation of democracy.”
Responding to questions on the constitution of an ad hoc committee alongside the standing committee, opposition lawmakers said the Senate was empowered to regulate its internal processes, adding that committee members were present to clarify issues during deliberations.
The caucus concluded by reaffirming that no harmonisation can lawfully occur until the Senate formally adopts the Votes and Proceedings confirming electronic transmission of election results.
