Senate summons emergency sitting as Labour, civil groups plan protests
The Senate has fixed an emergency plenary for Tuesday following growing public backlash over its handling of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, especially the decision not to make real-time electronic transmission of election results compulsory.
Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, disclosed the development in a statement on Sunday, saying all lawmakers had been directed to reconvene.
“The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has directed the reconvening of plenary for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026,” the notice read, adding that proceedings would begin at 12 noon.
The move comes amid threats of nationwide protests and possible election boycotts by organised labour and a coalition of pro-democracy groups, who accuse the upper chamber of creating uncertainty around one of the most sensitive aspects of Nigeria’s electoral framework.
Why the controversy
Last Wednesday, the Senate passed the amendment bill but rejected Clause 60(3), which proposed that presiding officers must electronically transmit results directly from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing portal in real time.
Instead, lawmakers retained a provision that allows transmission only after votes have been counted and announced at the polling unit, leaving the process at the discretion of the electoral body.
Critics say the change weakens transparency and opens the door to manipulation during collation. Supporters within the Senate insist electronic transmission was not removed and remains permissible under the law.
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Labour threatens action
Reacting on Sunday, the Nigeria Labour Congress expressed “deep concern” over what it described as contradictory explanations from the Senate.
NLC President Joe Ajaero said Nigerians deserved clarity, warning that ambiguity could erode trust in future elections.
“Nigerians deserve a transparent system where votes are not only counted but seen to be counted,” the union said, demanding an immediate and unambiguous statement on what exactly was passed.
The Congress cautioned that failure to entrench mandatory real-time transmission could lead to mass action before, during and after elections, including a possible boycott.
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‘Occupy NASS’ plan
Adding to the pressure, the Movement for Credible Elections, a coalition of political activists and civil society leaders, has scheduled a protest in Abuja tagged “Occupy NASS.”
The group described the Senate’s decision as a deliberate setback for democratic reforms and warned that rejecting compulsory electronic transmission signalled a preference for opacity.
“There is no acceptable reason for opposing mandatory electronic transmission except fear of the genuine mandate of the electorate,” the coalition said, urging Nigerians and the international community to speak out.
Among those associated with the movement are labour leaders, senior lawyers and prominent public intellectuals.
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Harmonisation ahead
Meanwhile, a bipartisan conference committee of the National Assembly is expected to meet this week to reconcile differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill.
A member of the committee, Saidu Abdullahi, confirmed that discussions would hold within days, raising hopes among reform advocates that the disputed clause could still be revisited.
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Afenifere joins criticism
Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere also urged lawmakers to adopt compulsory real-time transmission, arguing that democracy would suffer if technology-driven safeguards were weakened.
The group warned that anything short of clear legal backing for electronic transfer of results would further diminish public confidence in the electoral system.
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