RismadarVoice Reporters
February 8, 2026
The Senate has announced plans to reconvene for an emergency plenary sitting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
The announcement was made on Sunday in a statement signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, who said all senators have been directed to attend the session.
“The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has directed the reconvening of plenary for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026,” the statement said.
The plenary is scheduled to commence at noon.
The emergency sitting comes just days after the Senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill on February 4, but rejected Clause 60(3), a provision that would have made it mandatory for presiding officers to electronically transmit election results from polling units directly to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time.
Instead, lawmakers adopted a discretionary provision allowing electronic “transfer” of results only after votes have been counted and publicly announced at polling units.
The Senate’s decision has drawn sharp criticism from civil society organizations and opposition figures, who described the rejection of the clause as a setback for Nigeria’s democratic progress and electoral transparency.
However, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has defended the chamber’s action, insisting that the Senate did not reject electronic transmission of results. Speaking at a public event, Akpabio maintained that lawmakers merely removed the “real-time” requirement and vowed that the Senate would not be intimidated.
Tuesday’s emergency sitting is expected to focus on the growing public outcry over the amendment, may also see lawmakers reconsider the rejected provision. The development also follows threats of legal action by senior lawyer and rights activist Femi Falana and others, raising the prospect of judicial scrutiny.
