Sen Kalu reaffirms electronic transmission support, slams misrepresented old video

2026-02-11 - 15:38

Abia North lawmaker, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, on Tuesday reaffirmed his support for the electronic transmission of election results, expressing disappointment over what he described as the misrepresentation of a five-year-old video suggesting he opposed the process. Kalu spoke shortly after an emergency Senate plenary that amended the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to strengthen provisions for transmitting election results electronically from polling units across Nigeria. Addressing journalists, the former Abia State governor said the Senate had clearly backed electronic transmission, noting that the revised Clause 60(3) permits presiding officers to transmit results electronically once Form EC8A has been completed and signed at polling units. “This means electronic transmission becomes the primary method where the technology is available and functional. However, where it fails or becomes impossible, the duly signed Form EC8A remains the valid and primary source of results,” Kalu said. He added that the approach balances innovation with inclusion. “This balanced framework strengthens transparency, fairness and credibility in our electoral process, while ensuring voters in network-challenged communities are not disenfranchised. Our democracy must work for every Nigerian, everywhere.” Kalu’s media office also reacted to a video circulating online, allegedly showing the senator opposing electronic transmission. In a statement, the office clarified that the footage dates back to the 9th Senate in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that all senators in the clip were wearing face masks. “At no point in the 10th Senate — whether during public hearings, plenary deliberations or executive sessions — has Senator Orji Kalu opposed electronic transmission of election results,” the statement said. It added that Kalu, alongside Senate President Godswill Akpabio and lawmakers across party lines, has consistently supported electronic transmission as provided under Section 60(3) of the Electoral Act. Responding further, Kalu dismissed the video as outdated and misleading. “To the best of my knowledge, the 10th Senate has progressed very well. Even the Senate President never opposed electronic transmission. About 95 per cent of senators supported it,” he said. “What they are circulating is from five years ago in the 9th Senate, when we discussed limitations such as lack of computers and power. I am surprised people can be this cheap.” He said he had personally spoken in favour of electronic transmission during closed sessions. “Even in executive sessions, I spoke for about 15 minutes in support of electronic transmission. Nobody in the 10th Senate opposed it. The image being circulated reflects the realities of then, not now,” he added. Kalu also explained that earlier controversy stemmed from legal wording. “When a motion was brought to ‘transfer’ results electronically, it became a legal issue. It was withdrawn and replaced with ‘electronic,’ which the Senate adopted. Because of noise, some people misunderstood the Senate President’s explanation.” At Tuesday’s sitting, lawmakers rescinded and re-amended parts of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to accommodate electronic transmission without making real-time upload mandatory. After hours of debate, the Senate agreed that results may be transmitted electronically after Form EC8A is signed and stamped at polling units. Where network challenges prevent transmission, the signed EC8A will remain the primary source for collation and declaration of results. The amended provision stops short of mandating real-time transmission but strengthens the integrity, transparency and accessibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.