Nigerian Senate Rejects Mandatory Online Election Result Upload; INEC Chairman Reveals Deceased Voters

The Nigerian Senate has rejected a proposal to make the online transmission of election results compulsory in the Electoral Amendment Bill. During the review on February 4, 2026, lawmakers voted against the amendment that sought to enforce the direct upload of results to an INEC portal in real-time.

The proposed change was aimed at enhancing transparency in the electoral process. The rejection means that the current provision allowing the transfer of election results for approval by INEC, including details of accredited voters and ballot outcomes, will remain optional.

Professor Joash Amupitan, the new chairman of INEC, disclosed the names of deceased individuals, including prominent politicians, on the voter list during INEC's quarterly meeting with Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in Abuja. Additionally, INEC announced plans for a nationwide verification exercise to sanitize the voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections.