Coalition of Civil Society Organizations Applauds Senate Passage of Electoral Act Amendment 2026 …tags it a game changer against electoral manipulators, makers of fake results
A Coalition of over 80 Civil Society and Non Governmental Organizations, Self Determination and Public Interests Groups under the banner of Coalition for Good Governance (CCG) rising from an emergency meeting of the group convened on Monday 16th February 2026 in Lagos, to X-ray the state of the nation, have passed a vote of confidence on the Senate of the federal republic of Nigeria for it’s passage of the Electoral Act amendment 2026.
The group commended the upper legislative chamber for it’s irrevocable commitment to upholding and sustaining Nigeria’s democracy through it’s commendable and responsible passage of the Electoral Act amendment 2026 on Monday 10th February 2026.
According to the press statement signed by the leaders of the coalition, the group stated that, “We are extremely grateful and wholeheartedly commend the Senate for hearkening to the yearnings of Nigerians by refusing to be stampeded on the Electoral Act amendment 2026 that would have imperiled our democracy and thrown the country into avoidable chaos”.
The group noted that those “Interests clamouring and conducting protests to intimidate, blackmail and bully the Senate to include “real time or immediate electronic transmission of election results” in the amendment of the Electoral Act 2026, from all available statistics and analysis, were not agitating based on national interest but with the sinister aim to cause a breakdown of law and order on election day, knowing fully well that Nigeria’s internet and power infrastructure presence is not uniform across the country, coupled with the known challenges that confront technology globally”.
Sadly and mischievously, “These anti people interests masquerading as advocates of free, fair, credible and transparent elections, also went to town with the evil intentions to incite Nigerians against the Senate by their lies, falsehood and misinformation that the upper legislative chamber has expunged electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act 2026 amendment, when in actual fact, the upper chamber retained the provisions as stated in Section 60(3 & 5) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
However to the joy of Nigerians and to the disappointment of these anti people and democracy interests, the senate amendment of Section 60(3), and passed along with other sections states: “The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available at the polling unit. “But if the electronic transmission of the result fails as a result of communication failure, and it becomes impossible to transmit the result electronically, the signed and stamped Form EC8A by the Presiding Officer, and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available, shall in such a case be the primary source of collation and declaration of results.”
By this laudable amendment of the Electoral Act 2026 to suit our socio economic and political reality, “The Senate has once again enhanced the democratization of the election outcome process by the insertion that election results will be transmitted electronically only if it has been signed by the returning officer and countersigned by the party agents present and shall be the primary source of collation and declaration of results, otherwise, the form EC8A which must have undergone same process will suffice”.
According to the coalition, “The Senate passage of the Act that mandates party agents where available to countersign the election outcome on form EC8A after the signature of the presiding officer before it is transmitted electronically, emphasizes the credibility and integrity of the process by the recognition of party agents who apart from being party representatives, are also eye witnesses to the integrity of the process”.
By this Act, the Senate took the wind out of the sail of the hardcore protagonists of real time electronic transmission of election results, whose intentions are suspicious and ulterior with the intention to take advantage, if the Senate has capitulated, to plot and carry out their evil act of transmitting electronically fake and concocted results as election outcomes on election day with the aim to cause confusion and a breakdown of law and order.
The Senate insertion of the clause, “That election results sheets shall be signed and countersigned by the presidng officer and party agents before they are electronically transmitted where there is network and the resort to the manual form EC8A as an alternative in case of network failure, is a masterstroke for which they will be biting their fingers and plotting the next move”. “But as always, we are confident that they will fail”.
As the upper and lower legislative chambers gets set to harmonize the Electoral Act 2026 amendment bill for Mr President assent, we at CCG are hereby admonishing the distinguished and honourable members of both houses of parliament, not to waiver or pander to sentiments or blackmail from vested interests, but to remain firm and resolute on the side of democracy and the people by upholding the position of the Senate on the Electoral Act 2026 amendment which is for the sustenance of our democracy and the peace, progress and prosperity of the democratic federal republic of Nigeria.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Thank you,
Yours Sincerely,
E-signed
Nelson Ekujumi
Razaq Olokoba
Gbenga Soloki
Razaq Oladosu
Raheem Ajayi
Uche Nnadozie
Wole Adepoju
Linus Okoroji
Ajayi Popoola
Funmi Olusola
Shola Omolola
Peter Oparah
Gbenga Omage
Abdul-Malik Mohammed
George Oghenebruwe
Margaret Omotunde
Abuka Omobaba Onalo
Kudu Ibrahim
