February 9, 2026
ABUJA — The Senate has convened an emergency plenary session for Tuesday amid rising public anger over its handling of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, particularly the rejection of a clause that would mandate real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The decision was announced on Sunday in a statement signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, directing all senators to reconvene on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 12 noon. The move comes as labour unions, civil society groups and political activists warn of nationwide protests and possible election boycotts.
At the centre of the controversy is the Senate’s decision last week to vote down Clause 60(3) of the amendment bill, which sought to compel presiding officers to electronically transmit results directly from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time. Instead, lawmakers retained the existing discretionary provision that allows electronic transmission only after votes have been counted and publicly announced.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the decision, accusing the Senate of sowing confusion and undermining public confidence in the electoral process. In a statement, NLC President Joe Ajaero warned that the lack of clarity around electronic transmission threatens electoral integrity, insisting that Nigerians “deserve a transparent system where votes are not only counted but seen to be counted.”
The labour union demanded an immediate and unambiguous explanation from the Senate on the exact provisions passed and cautioned that failure to mandate real-time electronic transmission could trigger mass protests or election boycotts.
Tensions have further escalated with a newly formed coalition of political activists, the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE), announcing plans for a mass protest tagged “Occupy NASS” in Abuja. The group described the Senate’s action as a “deliberate act of democratic sabotage” and warned that it could deepen electoral fraud ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“This decision represents a choice of opacity over transparency and manipulation over credibility,” the coalition said, calling on Nigerians and the international community to speak out against what it described as a regression in democratic reforms.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives’ bipartisan Conference Committee on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill is expected to meet with its Senate counterpart this week to harmonise differences between the versions passed by both chambers. A member of the committee, Saidu Abdullahi, confirmed that discussions would take place within the week.
The standoff has drawn widespread condemnation from civil society organisations, opposition figures and election observers, who argue that mandatory electronic transmission is a critical safeguard against result manipulation between polling units and collation centres.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has, however, defended the chamber’s position, insisting that the Senate did not reject electronic transmission outright and vowing that the legislature would not be intimidated.
As pressure mounts from labour groups, activists and opposition parties, Tuesday’s emergency plenary is expected to be closely watched for signals of a possible rethink—or further escalation—in the battle over Nigeria’s electoral reforms.
