Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory and serves on the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, has dismissed claims that the National Assembly is blocking key electoral reforms, revealing that about 85 percent of senators support electronic transmission of election results.
Kingibe made the clarification amid public backlash following the Senate’s decision to reject a proposed amendment to Clause 70(3) of the Electoral Amendment Bill, which sought to make electronic transmission of results mandatory.
Opposition parties had accused lawmakers of undermining electoral transparency. However, in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Kingibe assured Nigerians that electronic transmission and real-time upload of results remain central to the ongoing electoral reforms.
According to her, the National Assembly carried out an inclusive and rigorous reform process throughout 2024 and 2025, involving public hearings, policy retreats, and extensive consultations with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society groups.
She said the committee’s report is built on three key pillars:
Electronic transmission of election results and real-time upload to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV)
Recognition of three modes of party primaries — direct, indirect, and consensus
Clearly defined election timelines to guarantee credible and orderly polls
Kingibe expressed concern over narratives suggesting the Senate had abandoned these reforms or reverted to the 2022 Electoral Act.
“While the 2022 Act used the word ‘transfer’ of results, the committees, after extensive deliberation, expressly recommended that INEC shall electronically transmit results and upload them to IREV in real time,” she said.
She added that the recommendations are fully documented and currently awaiting harmonisation.
Earlier, Senate President Godswill Akpabio also clarified that the Senate did not reject electronic transmission outright but maintained the existing provision of the Electoral Act, which empowers INEC to prescribe the mode of result transmission.
Kingibe further explained that the harmonisation process between the Senate and the House of Representatives is ongoing, with a correspondence committee already constituted to reconcile both versions into a single, final Electoral Amendment Bill.
Reaffirming lawmakers’ commitment to democratic integrity, she urged Nigerians to remain engaged and hold their representatives accountable.
“We are your representatives. We are your voice. And your will must shape the laws that govern you,” Kingibe said.
