The Senate has announced plans to reconvene for an emergency plenary sitting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, amid mounting controversy over recent amendments to the Electoral Act.

The decision was conveyed in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, who said all senators had been requested to attend the special session.

According to the statement, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, directed that the Senate resume plenary for the emergency sitting, which is scheduled to commence at 12 noon on Tuesday.

The development follows the Senate’s rejection on February 4 of a proposal seeking to make real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory under the Electoral Act. Although the Senate passed the Electoral Bill 2026 after hours of intense debate, it voted against the recommendation that would have compelled presiding officers to upload polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time.

The controversy centred on Section 60 of the bill, which regulates the transmission of results. Lawmakers opted to retain the provision in the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows electronic transmission of results only after votes have been counted and publicly announced at polling units.

The Senate, however, approved other reforms in the bill, including changes to election timelines, penalties for electoral offences and the use of voting technology.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been unable to release the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, citing ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act by the National Assembly. The commission also identified the presence of deceased persons on the voters’ register and has proposed a nationwide verification exercise.

The Senate’s decision to reject mandatory real-time transmission has drawn widespread criticism from civil society groups and political actors. Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, and socio-political group, Afenifere, have accused lawmakers of undermining electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 polls.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) warned that delays in concluding the Electoral Act amendments could expose political parties to legal and technical challenges as preparations for the next general elections intensify.

Under the retained provisions of the law, presiding officers are required to count votes at polling units, record results on the prescribed forms, publicly announce them and transmit the results electronically to the appropriate collation centres. Copies must also be made available to polling agents and security personnel, where present, with violators liable to a fine of up to N500,000 or a minimum of six months’ imprisonment.

Observers say Tuesday’s emergency plenary could provide an opportunity for lawmakers to revisit the contentious amendment amid growing public pressure and potential legal challenges, a move that may significantly shape the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of 2027.