The Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, has moved a motion seeking to reverse the Nigerian Senate’s earlier decision rejecting the mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
Naija Reporters reports that Senator Monguno presented the motion on Tuesday during an emergency session of the Senate convened amid mounting public pressure and widespread criticism of the legislature’s stance on electoral reforms.
Recall that the Senate had last week voted against real-time electronic transmission of election results, opting instead to retain provisions of the Electoral Act. The decision triggered protests from civil society organisations, labour unions, opposition parties, professional bodies, and youth groups, who accused lawmakers of undermining electoral transparency.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered early Tuesday at the entrance of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards demanding digital transmission of results and greater accountability in the electoral process. The protest remained peaceful but saw heavy security presence, with police officers and paramilitary operatives deployed around key access points.
The emergency session was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and recorded full attendance by members of the Upper Chamber despite recent changes in its composition. Proceedings, which began around 12 noon, were largely dominated by debates on the proposed Electoral Act amendment as public pressure intensified.
Meanwhile, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) also moved a motion during the session urging that senators cast individual votes on whether to mandate electronic transmission of election results, a proposal that further shaped deliberations on the contentious issue.
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