NLC threatens mass protests, election boycott over Senate's Electoral Act ambiguity

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning of potential nationwide protests and a boycott of elections over what it calls confusion and contradictory positions by the Senate regarding amendments to the Electoral Act.

In a statement on Sunday, NLC President Joe Ajaero expressed deep concern about the lack of clarity, particularly on whether electronic transmission of results will be mandatory.

The union accused the Senate of undermining public confidence, stressing that “Nigerians deserve a transparent system where votes are not only counted but seen to be counted.”

The NLC stated that public records indicate the Senate rejected a proposed amendment to mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results electronically in real-time, opting instead to retain the existing discretionary provision. This decision, it warned, creates “legislative ambiguity” that could institutionalize doubt in the electoral system following the 2023 general elections.

The labour body demanded the Senate provide an immediate, official, and unambiguous account of the exact provisions passed.

It insisted that the final harmonized bill must contain a clear mandate compelling INEC to electronically transmit and collate results from polling units in real-time.

“Failure to add electronic transmission in real-time will lead to mass action before, during and after the election or total boycott of the election,” the NLC warned.

This follows the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act amendment bill on February 4, 2026, where it rejected making electronic transmission mandatory. Instead, it preserved INEC’s discretion by stating results should be transferred “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”

This position contradicts the House of Representatives, which approved mandatory transmission, requiring a conference committee to harmonize both versions.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio clarified that the Senate did not scrap electronic transmission but removed the term “real-time” to allow INEC flexibility amid network and security challenges. Despite the controversy, the amendment bill includes other reforms such as digital voter identification using QR codes and stricter penalties for electoral offences.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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