Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has reiterated his support for the electronic transmission of election results, distancing himself from a resurfaced video that purportedly showed him opposing the process.
The Abia North lawmaker spoke on Tuesday after an emergency plenary session on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, during which the Senate reconsidered provisions relating to electronic transmission of results.
Kalu said the amended clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act now clearly allows presiding officers to electronically transmit results after Form EC8A has been duly completed and signed at the polling unit.
“Electronic transmission is now recognised as the primary option where the necessary technology is available and functional. Where it is not possible, the signed Form EC8A remains the authentic source of the result,” he explained.
According to him, the provision strikes a balance between transparency and practicality, ensuring that voters in areas with weak or no network coverage are not disenfranchised.
Addressing the viral video, Kalu’s office clarified that the footage dates back to 2020 during deliberations by the 9th Senate at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when senators were seen wearing face masks.
The video allegedly suggests he opposed electronic transmission at the time. However, his office maintained that he has not opposed the process in the current 10th Senate.
“The 10th Senate has made significant progress. Even the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, did not oppose electronic transmission. The majority of senators supported it,” Kalu said.
He noted that debates in the 9th Senate were shaped by prevailing realities, including limited access to technology, inadequate power supply and infrastructure challenges.
“Discussions then reflected the constraints of that period. The situation has evolved,” he added.
During Tuesday’s plenary, the Senate rescinded and re-amended aspects of the Electoral Act to permit electronic transmission of results, while stopping short of making real-time upload mandatory. In cases where electronic transmission is not feasible, the signed EC8A form will serve as the basis for collation and declaration of results.
