The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened nationwide protests if the Senate does not reverse its reported rejection of a provision for real-time electronic transmission of election results in the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.
In a statement on Sunday, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the Senate leadership’s explanations on the issue have been unclear, undermining public trust. He warned that retaining a discretionary, rather than mandatory, framework for result transmission could provoke mass action or a total boycott of the 2027 general elections.
The dispute centres on an amendment to the 2022 Electoral Act. While many Nigerians and civil society groups have advocated for a mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), reports indicate the Senate committee reviewing the bill retained the existing discretionary provision. This has sparked confusion, with contradictory narratives emerging from the legislature.
Ajaero stated the NLC demands an immediate, official clarification from the Senate on the exact provisions passed. He stressed that the final law must contain an “unambiguous mandate” for INEC to electronically transmit and collate results from polling units in real time. The labour leader linked the legislative ambiguity to broader concerns about electoral integrity following the 2023 elections, warning it risks institutionalising doubt.
“The path to the 2027 elections must be built on certainty, not confusion,” the statement read, adding that Nigerian workers and citizens are monitoring the situation closely and the NLC is mobilising its networks to advocate for transparency.
The controversy highlights the intense scrutiny on the National Assembly’s harmonisation process for the Electoral Act amendment. The NLC’s intervention adds pressure on lawmakers to resolve the issue definitively, framing it as a critical test of legislative credibility and a foundational step for credible future elections. The Senate is yet to issue a formal, definitive response to the NLC’s demands.
