Amid intensifying public backlash over recent amendments to the Electoral Act, the Senate has fixed an emergency plenary session for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, in a bid to address the growing controversy surrounding the disputed legislation.
The decision was formally announced on Sunday in a statement issued by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, following directives from the leadership of the upper legislative chamber.
“The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has directed the reconvening of plenary for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026,” the statement read.
According to the notice, the emergency session will commence at 12 noon, with all senators mandated to be in attendance, underscoring the urgency and sensitivity of the matter before the chamber.
The move comes barely days after the Senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill on February 4, a development that triggered widespread public outrage after lawmakers rejected Clause 60(3) of the proposed amendment.
The controversial clause sought to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
If adopted, the provision would have compelled presiding officers at polling units to electronically upload results directly to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV) immediately after votes are counted, signed and announced at the polling unit.
Advocates argued that such a measure would significantly curb manipulation during collation and enhance transparency.
Instead, the Senate opted to retain the existing legal framework, which allows election results to be electronically “transferred” in a manner determined by INEC, effectively leaving the process to the discretion of electoral officials.
Critics say this maintains the same loopholes that fueled disputes and mistrust during the 2023 general elections.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from civil society organisations, election observers and opposition figures, many of whom argue that the amendment weakens democratic safeguards and represents a setback to electoral reform in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Senate’s rejection of mandatory real-time result transmission reignites electoral transparency debate
In response to the backlash, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has repeatedly defended the chamber’s action, insisting that the Senate did not remove electronic transmission of results from the law.
He has maintained that lawmakers merely upheld existing provisions of the Electoral Act and warned that the Senate would not bow to public pressure or intimidation.
Tuesday’s emergency plenary is widely expected to focus on the contentious amendment, as pressure continues to mount on the National Assembly to revisit the issue.
Some stakeholders, including prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana, have already hinted at possible legal action, arguing that the Senate’s decision undermines the will of Nigerians and the spirit of electoral transparency.
As debates intensify both within and outside the legislature, the outcome of the emergency session is being closely watched, with many Nigerians hoping it could mark a turning point in efforts to strengthen trust in the country’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.