Dickson expresses disappointment over Senate’s electoral clause

*Says INEC has capacity to transmit results nationwide 

By NASRUDEEN ABBAS

While reiterating his belief in INEC’s assurance that it has the capacity to transmit election results nationwide, Dickson acknowledged the realities of parliamentary negotiations. “In parliament, you don’t get all you want at the time you want,” he said, describing the outcome as “incremental progress.”

Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has expressed disappointment over the Senate’s initial refusal to pass the clause on mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units, describing the development as a setback but not a loss for Nigeria’s democracy.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE Television, Dickson, a member of the Electoral Committee, said he was in Bayelsa State mourning his late brother, the Deputy Governor, when he learned of the Senate’s decision. He noted that the clause had been the product of nearly two years of work and had already been passed by the House of Representatives in line with agreements reached during consultations involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He commended the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, the Chairman of the House Committee, and other lawmakers for passing what he described as the agreed version of the amendment.

The former Bayelsa governor said he shared in the protests and public outrage that followed the Senate’s decision, recalling his long-standing advocacy for electronic transmission of results dating back to the 9th Senate, when the issue was subjected to a formal division.

Dickson disclosed that upon resuming plenary after his period of mourning, he confronted members of the Senate leadership during an emergency session. According to him, the leadership responded by introducing a motion for rescission, moved by Senate Chief Whip Senator Tahir Monguno, to revisit the contentious clause.

However, he noted that the revised Senate position included a proviso validating election results that could not be electronically transmitted due to network failures in certain areas.

While reiterating his belief in INEC’s assurance that it has the capacity to transmit election results nationwide, Dickson acknowledged the realities of parliamentary negotiations. “In parliament, you don’t get all you want at the time you want,” he said, describing the outcome as “incremental progress.”

He explained that the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) was introduced to enhance transparency by allowing public access to results from polling units in real time. According to him, although IREV does not collate or declare final results, it provides primary evidence of votes cast at polling stations.

Dickson argued that mandatory electronic transmission of polling unit results to IREV would help curb manipulation at collation centres, where he said electoral irregularities are most prevalent. He maintained that even with the Senate’s amended version, real-time monitoring would begin once presiding officers upload signed results after declaration at polling units.

The senator, however, said he disagreed with the proviso in the Senate version, stressing that laws are designed to set general rules rather than accommodate exceptions. He described network failure as a rare occurrence and expressed confidence that INEC officials would not treat exceptions as the norm.

Dickson urged Nigerians to remain engaged in the democratic process by mobilising at polling units, voting for credible candidates, and insisting that their votes be transmitted and reflected on IREV.

He reaffirmed confidence in INEC’s capacity to transmit results electronically across the country, stating that areas capable of supporting phone calls and electronic financial transactions should also be able to support result uploads.

“Don’t give up on our democracy,” Dickson said, calling for sustained civic sensitisation and participation regardless of the final version of the Electoral Act.

Details

In details he said, “Today (Tuesday February 10, 2026), I gave an interview at ARISE Television. In the interview, I explained how, as a member of the Electoral Committee, I felt deeply disappointed when, while I was in Bayelsa mourning the demise of my brother, the Deputy Governor, I heard that the Senate refused to pass the clause on mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling stations. This was what we had been working on for the past two years, and the House of Representatives passed exactly what we agreed on. I thank the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, the Chairman of the House Committee, and other members of the House for doing the right thing.

“I saw the protests, the agitations, and the anger by Nigerians, and I share in them. As someone who worked and fought for the concept of electronic transmission of election results in the 9th Senate, where we even took a division of the Senate on this issue, I feel bad that the Senate did not pass what we took time to harmonise through several workshops and conferences, even with the presence of INEC.

“Today, I attended my first session for the year. Having ended my mourning, I went to attend the emergency session that was summoned. I met with some members of the Senate leadership and confronted them on the matter. They assured me that we would work on how to correct it, and, true to their words, they brought a motion for rescission, moved by the Senate Chief Whip, my friend, Senator Tahir Monguno. However, they added a proviso that validates election results that could not be transmitted as a result of network failure in some areas.

“Let me be clear: INEC had told us that they have the capacity to transmit election results nationwide, and we believe them. However, in parliament, you don’t get all you want at the time you want. The parliamentary system involves lobbying, negotiations, consensus-building, and making incremental progress. What happened today was not a loss to democracy; it was incremental progress. It was not what we fought for or prepared for, but it is still something we can work with while hoping to improve on it later.

“While I understand that Nigerians are concerned about real-time monitoring, IREV was introduced by INEC as an improvement on the Card Reader and the BVAS. IREV was introduced to give Nigerians and the general public access to a transparent INEC portal, providing an indication of votes from the primary voting centres, that is, polling stations. It does not collate election results, nor is it proof of any election win, but it shows results in real time, and we still have that even in the version passed by the Senate.

“As it stands, in addition to the law, INEC will issue guidelines mandating Presiding Officers, after voting and signing of results, to make copies and transmit them electronically to IREV. If we achieve that, it amounts to real-time monitoring of results from polling stations upwards. Where results are changed and democracy faces its greatest assault is at the collation centres—the Ward Collation Centres and the Local Government Collation Centres. The introduction of IREV, and the National Assembly’s passage of mandatory electronic transmission of polling unit results to IREV, has addressed the problem of manipulation at collation centres. So, candidates and parties who do well at polling stations, which are the primary evidence of elections, can collate results and know who has won, thereby cutting off the brigandage, executive interference, and thuggery that mar our elections at collation centres.

“So, while this is not the ideal outcome, Nigerians can be assured that our democracy is moving forward. As I said, in parliament, we don’t get all we want at the time we want, especially when we do not have the numbers. Right now, the opposition does not have the numbers to insist on committee reports coming out the way it did. This was the best we could get under the circumstances, and it is not too bad. It is something we can work with while hoping to improve on it later.

“I encourage Nigerians, therefore, to take interest in mobilising to their polling units and voting for credible people who can protect the democratic rights of our people.

“Nigeria does not practice electronic voting, so there is no real-time monitoring of votes before they are declared by Presiding Officers at polling stations. After results are declared by Presiding Officers, real-time monitoring begins on IREV.

“If I were a member of the Conference Committee, I would have voted for the House version because that was what we agreed on. I disagree with the proviso in the Senate version because it does not add to the law of the country, which states that Form EC8A is the election result. Laws are made for general rules, not exceptions. The proviso only addresses rare cases where there is network failure. I do not expect INEC to allow its officials and agents to operate as if the exception were the general rule. In any case, polling agents who disobey stand the risk of being penalised under this law.

“I call on all Nigerians to sensitise and mobilise to polling stations, vote for credible candidates, and insist that their votes count and are transmitted on IREV.

“INEC has said it can transmit election results nationwide, and we believe them. Anywhere someone can make calls, send or receive money electronically, INEC can also upload and transmit election results electronically. This is not a decision Presiding Officers can make arbitrarily.

“INEC and Nigerians should get ready to sensitise and mobilise, even if the Senate version of the Electoral Act is upheld.

“Sensitise and mobilise. Don’t give up on our democracy.”