Nigeria Reverses to Dual Mode for Election Results Transmission

On Tuesday, the Nigerian House of Representatives rescinded its earlier decision regarding Clause 60(3) of the electoral bill, which initially stipulated that the President's office would electronically transmit election results from polling units via the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV). The revised version, which was passed by the Senate, allows for both electronic and manual transmission of results.

This decision was made amidst protests from opposition lawmakers who staged a walkout and chanted against the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The new provision specifies that while electronic transmission is preferred, if it fails, results must still be communicated through a prescribed form (EC8A) that is signed and stamped by the President's office and countersigned by candidates' agents at the polling units.

This ensures that the EC8A form remains the primary source for collating and declaring results.