RismadarVoice Reporters
February 8, 2026
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned of possible nationwide protests and a boycott of future elections over what it described as confusion and contradictory positions by the Senate on amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly on the electronic transmission of election results.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the Senate’s handling of the amendment to the Electoral Act 2022 has undermined public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress expresses deep concern over the confusion and contradictory narratives emerging from the Senate regarding the amendment to the 2022 Electoral Act, particularly on electronic transmission of results,” Ajaero said.
According to the labour union, the Senate failed to clearly state whether electronic transmission of results would be mandatory, warning that the lack of clarity threatens electoral integrity and public trust.
“Nigerians deserve a transparent system where votes are not only counted but seen to be counted,” the statement added.
Public records indicate that a proposed amendment seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically in real time was not adopted. Instead, lawmakers retained the existing discretionary provision.
The NLC noted that the decision has generated widespread apprehension across the country, stressing that subsequent explanations from the Senate had only deepened public confusion.
“This legislative ambiguity, coming at a critical period after the 2023 general elections, risks institutionalising doubt within our electoral system,” the union warned.
The Congress demanded that the Senate issue an immediate and unambiguous explanation of the exact provisions passed, including the final wording of the amendment and the rationale behind its decision.
“The leadership of the National Assembly must also ensure that the harmonization process produces a final bill with crystal-clear provisions. Any ambiguity in the transmission and collation of results is a disservice to our democracy,” the statement read.
The NLC insisted that the amended Electoral Act must explicitly compel INEC to electronically transmit and collate results from polling units in real time, warning that failure to do so could trigger mass action.
“Failure to add electronic transmission in real time will lead to mass action before, during and after the election, or a total boycott of the election,” the Congress said.
