Opposition members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday criticised efforts to amend Clause 60 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, describing the move as a setback for electoral transparency.
The disputed clause, previously approved by the House, provides for real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units to a central viewing platform managed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Pressure mounted earlier in the week, prompting the Committee on Electoral Matters to propose rescinding the earlier provision. Opposition lawmakers insisted that the House retain the original version mandating real-time transmission.
During plenary, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu sided with lawmakers of the ruling party who argued that the House should adopt the Senate’s version of the amendment.
Tensions rose in the chamber as opposition legislators protested, chanting slogans accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of undermining electoral reforms.
The National Assembly has constituted conference committees from both chambers to harmonise differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.
While the House version previously approved real-time electronic transmission of results, the Senate version allows manual transmission where real-time upload is not possible.
The dispute underscores ongoing divisions over the role of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process and broader concerns about transparency and credibility in future elections.
