The Nigerian Senate has scheduled an emergency plenary session for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to address the mounting national standoff over the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill. The decision, announced by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, on the orders of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, marks a sudden reversal of the upper chamber’s previous plan to remain on recess until February 24.
This urgent recall follows a week of intense public backlash and warnings of nationwide civil unrest. The controversy centers on the Senate’s February 4 decision to pass the amendment bill while specifically voting down a clause that would have mandated the real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. By retaining a discretionary model rather than a mandatory one, lawmakers have been accused by civil society organizations, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and opposition leaders of “democratic sabotage” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The standoff has prompted a newly formed coalition, the Movement for Credible Elections, to announce an “Occupy NASS” protest scheduled for today, Monday, at the National Assembly complex in Abuja. Protesters and legal experts argue that without mandatory electronic transmission, the 2027 elections remain vulnerable to the same collation-level manipulations that marred previous cycles.
Internal sources suggest the emergency session is a direct attempt to de-escalate the tension and potentially reconsider the contentious “Clause 60(3).” The NLC has already signaled that it may call for a total election boycott if the Senate does not provide clear legal backing for digital transparency. As the nation watches the National Assembly, the outcome of Tuesday’s session is expected to determine whether Nigeria moves toward a more transparent electoral framework or faces a period of prolonged political instability.
