Just in: Drama in Senate as Abaribe pushes individual vote on electronic results transmission clause

There was tension inside the Senate chamber on Tuesday as reports indicated that Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe moved a motion demanding that lawmakers vote individually on the controversial clause seeking to mandate real-time electronic transmission of election results.

The development reportedly triggered confusion on the floor, with the chamber said to have turned rowdy shortly after the motion was raised. Sources said the Deputy Senate President was seen rushing to confer with Senate President Godswill Akpabio amid the heated atmosphere.

The drama is coming against the backdrop of nationwide protests and political pressure following the Senate’s earlier decision to reject making real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory in the Electoral Act amendment. The Senate had maintained that electronic transmission remains allowed under existing law but resisted calls to make it compulsory.

The controversy has sparked protests by civil society groups and opposition figures, who insist the law must clearly mandate real-time electronic transmission to guarantee credible elections. Demonstrators have continued to mount pressure on lawmakers to reverse the decision.

Amid the backlash, the Senate scheduled an emergency plenary session to address the growing crisis and public outrage surrounding the amendment.