Fresh controversy has erupted in Nigeria’s National Assembly following allegations that the Electoral Bill passed by the Senate last week was altered before the official Votes and Proceedings were released.
A Senate source told reporters on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, that the version of the bill circulated in the chamber no longer reflects what lawmakers approved during plenary on Wednesday, February 4 particularly on the issue of electronic transmission of election results.
According to the source, the clause passed by the Senate clearly mandated presiding officers at polling units to electronically transmit results in real time to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IREV). However, the version contained in Tuesday’s Votes and Proceedings allegedly removed this requirement and replaced it with language that only requires transmission of results to the next level of collation.
“This is not what the Senate passed last week,” the source said, describing the change as fraudulent and warning that the chamber could reconvene at any moment to address the issue.
Documents from the February 4 plenary reviewed by the source indicate that lawmakers considered clauses dealing with vote counting and result transmission.
Under Clause 59, the Senate adopted a recommendation moved by Senator Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau South), retaining the provision as contained in the bill.
Attention then shifted to Clause 60, which governs the counting of votes and completion of election forms. The clause initially required presiding officers to:
- Record votes scored by each candidate on the prescribed form
- Ensure the form is signed and stamped
- Have it countersigned by candidates or their polling agents
Crucially, Clause 60(3) required presiding officers to electronically transmit polling unit results to the IREV portal in real time after the forms were completed.
An amendment was later proposed by Senator Mohammed Tahir Munguno (Borno North), seeking to delete Clause 60(3) and replace it with the wording in Section 60(3) of the principal Act.
Following deliberations, the Senate adopted an amended version of Clause 60. The final wording agreed to on the floor, according to the document cited by the source, included:
- Counting and announcing results at the polling unit
- Transmitting results, including the total number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation
- Criminal penalties for presiding officers who willfully violate the provision, including a minimum fine of ₦500,000 or at least six months’ imprisonment
The question that Clause 60, as amended, should stand part of the bill was put to a vote and agreed to by the Senate.
The controversy stems from the version of the Votes and Proceedings released on Tuesday, which reportedly omits any reference to electronic transmission of results to the IREV portal and instead emphasises only manual transmission to the next collation level.
The Senate source insists this version contradicts what lawmakers approved during plenary.
According to the source, Senator Munguno, allegedly working alongside Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other APC senators, later introduced provisos and conditions that effectively weakened or removed the electronic transmission requirement.
The Senate also approved:
- Clause 61, allowing candidates or polling agents to request a recount of votes at a polling unit, limited to one recount
- Clause 62, which outlines post-election procedures, including the secure delivery of results and election materials to INEC-designated officials, accompanied by candidates or their agents where available
As of Tuesday, no official response had been issued by the Senate leadership regarding the alleged alteration. However, the development has further fuelled public protests and political tension surrounding demands for mandatory electronic transmission of election results.