By James
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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that it may mobilise mass protests or even call for a boycott of future elections over what it described as the Senate’s contradictory handling of amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act, particularly the decision to reject mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results.
In a statement on Sunday, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the Senate’s actions risk eroding public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process and undermining democracy.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress expresses deep concern over the confusion and conflicting narratives emerging from the Senate regarding the amendment to the 2022 Electoral Act,” Ajaero said.
On February 4, the Senate passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026, but notably rejected Clause 60(3)—the provision that would have required presiding officers to transmit polling unit results electronically in real time to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Instead, lawmakers retained the current discretionary language, allowing electronic transmission only after votes have been counted and publicly declared at polling units.
According to the NLC, public records indicate that the proposed amendment for mandatory real-time transmission was not adopted, and subsequent explanations from the Senate have only deepened public uncertainty.
“This has generated nationwide apprehension. Legislative ambiguity at such a critical moment—especially following the contentious 2023 elections—is a disservice to our democracy,” Ajaero said. “Nigerians deserve a transparent system where votes are not only counted but seen to be counted.”
The union demanded immediate clarification on the amendment’s final content, including the exact language passed and the reasoning for rejecting real-time transmission. It also called on the National Assembly leadership to ensure that the harmonisation process with the House of Representatives produces a final bill with “crystal-clear provisions.”
Amid the mounting criticism, the Senate has scheduled an emergency plenary session for Tuesday, February 10, sparking speculation that Clause 60(3) could be revisited. The development comes as some senior legal figures, including Femi Falana (SAN), reportedly consider challenging the clause in court.
Warning of escalating action, the NLC said failure to make real-time electronic transmission explicit and compulsory could trigger mass mobilisation before, during, or after the next elections, or even a total boycott of the polls.
“Failure to add electronic transmission in real time will lead to mass action… or total boycott of the election,” the statement added. “Nigerian workers and citizens are watching closely. Our nation must choose the path of clarity and integrity.”
The labour union also cited recent controversies surrounding the new Tax Acts, urging lawmakers to avoid repeating avoidable legislative confusion.
Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio defended the chamber’s position, insisting that the Senate did not reject electronic transmission outright and reaffirming that it would not bow to public pressure.
