The Senator representing Abia Central Akobundu was among senators who insisted on the electronic transmission of election results in real time and opposed the controversial manual back up clause during the Senate’s deliberations on the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026
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Recall that reports had it that the Senate had on Wednesday, February 4, rejected the electronic transmission of election results in real time, a development that compelled Senators Austin Akobundu, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abdul Ningi, Natasha Akpoti et al to address the media the next day insisting that the clause 60(3) which provides for the electronic transfer of election results in real time be retained.
However, the Senate, in its deliberation yesterday, approved the electronic transmission of election results while retaining manual collation as a fallback option.
Following a tense atmosphere during sitting in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, a division on the floor was adopted for voying over the matter in which 55 senators voted in favour of keeping the manual backup clause, while Senators Austin Akobundu, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Ireti Kingibe, and 12 others voted against it, insisting on mandatory real-time electronic transmission.
The senators who stood their ground on the issue of electronic transmission of election results in real time include:
Austin Akobundu (Abia Central)
Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South)
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central)
Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central)
Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto South)
Ireti Kingibe (FCT)
Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West)
Onawo Ogwoshi (Nasarawa South)
Tony Nwoye (Anambra North)
Victor Umeh (Anambra Central)
Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe Central)
Khalid Mustapha (Kaduna North)
Sikayo Yaro (Gombe South)
Emmanuel Nwachukwu (Anambra South)
Peter Jiya (Niger South).
Nigerians across board have hailed the courage of these senators, describing them as true Democrats who align themselves with the overwhelming wishes of the masses.
