The Senate is set to reconvene on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to consider the amendment Bill to the Electoral Act 2022, amid mounting pressure from critics and stakeholders over contentious provisions. The recall notice, issued by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, has raised expectations that lawmakers may revisit disputed sections, particularly those relating to the transmission of election results.
The controversy centres on the Senate’s decision to retain provisions that give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) discretion over the mode of result transmission, rather than mandating real-time electronic transmission from polling units. This stance has drawn criticism from civil society groups, opposition parties, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), all of whom insist that real-time electronic transmission is critical to transparency ahead of the 2027 elections.
Despite the backlash, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said there is no going back on the Senate’s position. The emergency session is expected mainly to approve the proceedings of the Senate’s earlier sitting on the Bill, a step required to pave the way for harmonisation with the version passed by the House of Representatives. A conference committee, chaired by Senator Simon Lalong, has already been inaugurated to resolve differences between both chambers.
Labour and legal bodies have, however, warned of serious consequences if clarity is not provided. The NLC has threatened mass action and possible election boycotts, accusing the Senate of creating confusion that could undermine public trust in the electoral process. Similarly, the NBA cautioned that discretionary provisions on result transmission could weaken transparency and increase post-election disputes.
Once the harmonisation committee concludes its work, its report will be presented to both chambers for approval before a final copy of the Bill is forwarded to the President for assent. Beyond result transmission, the committee is also expected to address other areas of disagreement, as lawmakers race to complete the process alongside deliberations on the 2026 Budget.
