The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised the alarm over what it described as mixed signals and unclear decisions by the Senate on amendments to the Electoral Act, warning that the situation could spark nationwide protests or even election boycotts.
The labour union accused the Senate of weakening confidence in the country’s electoral system, particularly over its handling of provisions on the electronic transmission of election results. In a statement issued on Sunday, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the Senate’s shifting explanations had created uncertainty over whether electronic transmission of results would be compulsory.
According to the NLC, the absence of a clear and firm position on the matter poses a serious threat to electoral transparency and public trust. The Congress stressed that Nigerians deserve an electoral process that is open and verifiable, where votes are not only counted but transparently accounted for.
The union noted that available records indicate that a proposal to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically and in real time was rejected, with lawmakers opting to retain the existing provision that leaves the mode of transmission to INEC’s discretion.
“This development has generated widespread concern across the country, and the explanations that followed have only deepened public confusion,” the NLC said, warning that such legislative uncertainty, coming in the aftermath of the 2023 general elections, could further erode confidence in the democratic process.
The labour body called on the Senate to immediately issue a clear and official explanation of what was passed, including the exact wording of the amended provisions and the reasons behind the decision. It also urged the National Assembly leadership to ensure that the harmonisation process with the House of Representatives produces a final bill free of ambiguity.
The NLC maintained that the amended Electoral Act must clearly mandate INEC to transmit and collate results electronically from polling units in real time. It warned that failure to enshrine this requirement could lead to mass protests before, during, and after elections, or even a complete boycott of the polls.
“Nigerian workers and citizens are watching closely,” the Congress said, adding that the country must avoid a repeat of the confusion that surrounded recent tax reforms and instead embrace people-oriented and transparent legislation.
The warning comes days after the Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 following its third reading on February 4, 2026. During deliberations, the Senate rejected a proposed amendment to Clause 60(3) that sought to make electronic transmission of results mandatory.
The rejected clause would have required INEC presiding officers to transmit results electronically from polling units to the IReV portal in real time after the result sheets had been properly completed and endorsed. Instead, lawmakers retained the existing wording, which allows results to be transmitted “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”
The decision triggered strong reactions from opposition parties and civil society organisations, who argue that continued reliance on manual collation increases the risk of manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Senate’s stance also contrasts with that of the House of Representatives, which had earlier approved mandatory electronic transmission, making it necessary for both chambers to harmonise their versions of the bill before it is forwarded to the President for assent.
Amid the controversy, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the Senate did not abolish electronic transmission but merely removed the phrase “real-time” to avoid potential legal and technical complications. He said the change was intended to give INEC the flexibility to determine the most appropriate method of result transmission, taking into account network and security challenges.
Despite the disagreement, the amendment bill also introduces other reforms, including digital voter identification using QR codes and tougher penalties for electoral offences.