Senate President Godswill Akpabio says President Bola Tinubu will sign the amended Electoral Act into law this month.
Akpabio made the statement on Tuesday during an emergency plenary session, where lawmakers set up a committee to reconcile the Senate’s version of the bill with that of the House of Representatives, following public backlash over some amendments.
He urged the committee to complete its work within days, stressing that the President could assent to the bill before the end of February. Akpabio described the task as a matter of urgency and said the expanded committee reflected consultations with legislative leaders and the need to work closely with the House.
The Senate’s move followed criticism of its earlier decision to reject real-time electronic transmission of results while retaining INEC’s discretion over transmission. On Tuesday, the chamber reversed course and approved electronic transmission without the “real-time” clause, while providing that Form EC8A would serve as the primary collation tool where internet access fails.