The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that workers may embark on mass action if the Senate fails to legalise the real-time electronic transmission of election results in the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.
In a statement on Monday, NLC President Joe Ajaero urged the Senate to issue an immediate and unambiguous clarification of its decision on the transmission of results, stressing that Nigerians deserve a transparent electoral process where votes are not only counted but seen to count.
The warning comes as the Senate announced an emergency plenary sitting scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, amid nationwide controversy over its handling of Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Amendment Bill. The clause sought to make real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal mandatory.
Although the Senate passed the amendment bill on February 4, it retained the existing provision of the Electoral Act 2022, which gives INEC discretion over the mode of transmitting results, rather than mandating electronic transmission.
The NLC said the decision, and subsequent conflicting explanations from the Senate, have deepened public confusion and could undermine confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections. It warned that any ambiguity in the law risks repeating past electoral disputes.
The Senate’s position differs from that of the House of Representatives, with both chambers now relying on conference committees to harmonise their versions of the bill before transmission to the President for assent.
