Tag: Godswill Akpabio

President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the amended Electoral Act into law before the end of February, according to Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio made the disclosure on Tuesday, February 10, during an emergency plenary session of the Senate, where lawmakers constituted a conference committee to harmonise the Senate’s version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill with that passed by the House of Representatives. “I believe that if you are able to conclude within this, in the next few days or one week, the President should be able to sign this amended Electoral Bill into an Act of Parliament within this month of February,” Akpabio told his colleagues. “So I wish you a worthy deliberation with your colleagues.” The 12-member conference committee is expected to meet with representatives of the House to reconcile differences between both chambers’ versions of the bill before forwarding a unified draft to the President for assent. Describing the assignment as urgent, Akpabio urged the panel to expedite its work. “The conference committee, when you meet, you should recognize that this is a matter of urgency,” he said, noting that the expansion of the committee followed consultations with Senate leadership to ensure alignment with the House of Representatives. The emergency session followed public backlash over recent amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly changes to Clause 60(3), which addresses the electronic transmission of election results. Last week, the Senate rejected proposals that would have made real-time electronic transmission of results mandatory, opting instead to retain provisions from the 2022 Electoral Act that grant the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) discretion over the mode of transmission. The decision drew criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who argued that removing the real-time requirement could undermine electoral transparency. Protests were subsequently staged at the National Assembly. In response, the Senate on Tuesday reversed its earlier stance and approved electronic transmission of results, albeit without including the “real-time” provision. Lawmakers also stipulated that in areas where internet connectivity fails, Form EC8A will remain the primary instrument for result collation. If harmonisation with the House is concluded within the projected timeframe, the amended Electoral Act could be signed into law before the end of February.

Ahead of the 2027 general election, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has defended the decision of the National Assembly to remove mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the amended Electoral Act. TRENDBROI reports that the Senate last week expunged the provision requiring compulsory real-time electronic transmission of results, a move that has sparked widespread criticism across the country. Opposition parties, civil society groups and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have since called on lawmakers to reverse the decision, warning that it could undermine the credibility of future elections. Responding to the controversy at the launch of a book authored by former senator Effiong Bob, titled The Burdens of Legislators in Nigeria, Akpabio dismissed the criticisms, stressing that the conduct of elections falls solely within the responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to the Senate President, the decision was informed by practical challenges, particularly insecurity and poor network coverage in parts of the country. Akpabio stated that there is no reliable network in at least nine states of the federation due to insecurity, arguing that compulsory real-time transmission could invalidate election results from such areas. “Real-time transmission means that in over nine states where networks are not working because of insecurity, there will be no election results,” he said. “Nationally, it means that if the national grid collapses and no network is working, no election results will be valid.” He further urged Nigerians to channel their grievances to INEC, noting that the electoral umpire, not the legislature, is responsible for deploying election technology. “The Senate does not conduct elections, we don’t deploy technology, we only make laws. INEC must apply the law,” Akpabio said. He also took a swipe at some critics of the amendment, describing them as uninformed about the legislative process. “The timing, scope and modality rest with INEC, acting within the framework of the law enacted by the parliament and interpreted by the Supreme Court,” the Senate President added.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed claims that the Senate rejected the electronic transmission of election results during deliberations on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill. Speaking shortly after the bill was passed following a lengthy four-and-a-half-hour session, Akpabio addressed widespread online reports suggesting that lawmakers voted against mandatory electronic transmission of results. The controversy arose during consideration of the amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, which sparked speculation that the Senate had removed provisions requiring INEC presiding officers to transmit results electronically from polling units to the IREV portal in real time. Contrary to those reports, Akpabio explained that the Senate merely retained the existing provisions of the Electoral Act, which already allow for electronic transmission in a manner prescribed by the Independent National Electoral Commission. He stressed that the Senate did not vote to eliminate electronic transmission, noting that the provision was applied during the 2022 elections and remains part of the law. Akpabio cautioned against misinformation, stating that the Senate’s records and final votes are available for verification. He reaffirmed that under his leadership, the Senate has not taken any step backward on electoral reforms. “We have retained what was in the previous law by way of amendment. The allowance for electronic transmission remains, and we cannot afford to go backwards,” he said.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Senator Okechukwu Ezea, who represented Enugu North, describing the loss as another painful blow to the 10th Senate. Akpabio made the remarks on Tuesday at a tribute night held in honour of the late lawmaker at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, where he reflected on the heavy toll death has taken on the Senate in recent years. He recalled that within the last two years, the Senate has lost three serving members in quick succession — Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra South), Godiya Akwashiki (Nasarawa), and now Senator Ezea. “The last two years have been particularly heavy for us in the Senate. We have lost colleagues in quick succession — men of intellect, courage and vision.Each loss reminds us of our own mortality and the urgency of service,” Akpabio said. Describing Ezea’s passing as especially painful, the Senate President noted that death struck just as the nation was preparing to enter a new year. “Just days to the New Year, and only hours before the clock would usher in another chapter, death paid another painful visit.It was a cruel reminder that time does not wait for any man,” he added. Akpabio urged politicians to remain grounded in humanity, stressing that lasting legacies are built on compassion and service, not power or wealth. “History teaches us that what truly endures is not power, position, or wealth, but love, compassion, and the good we do for others.Politics must never make us lose our humanity.” Also speaking at the event, Senator Nenadi Usman, Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, described Ezea as a principled and loyal party man, noting that he remained committed to the Labour Party despite intense pressure. “Despite pressures from various quarters, he remained committed to the Labour Party on whose platform he was elected… Until his passing, he remained the only Labour Party member in the National Assembly from Enugu State who, on principle, kept faith with the party that entrusted him with that mandate,” she said. Usman added that Ezea’s loyalty to the party dated back years before the 2023 elections, recalling his 2007 governorship bid under the Labour Party as evidence of his political strength and consistency. Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi also paid tribute, offering condolences to the late senator’s family, friends, and colleagues, and urging them to draw comfort from the legacy he left behind. The tribute night drew several prominent figures, including former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Senator Victor Umeh, and former Voice of Nigeria Director-General Osita Okechukwu, among others.