By our reporter 8.2.2026
Former Senate president and currently the African Democratic Congress (ADC), national chairman David Mark, said the National Assembly must not teleguide the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the issue of electronically transmitted election results.
David Mark remarked that the Senate, led by Godswill Akpabio, is trying to usurp the powers of the electoral body ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking Saturday during a book presentation in Abuja David Mark submitted that INEC, constitutionally empowered to conduct elections, is in the best position to assess its capacity and deploy technology suitable for credible polls in the country.
“There should be an electronic transmission of results. Let INEC decide whether they can do (real-time electronic transmission), or they cannot do it. Don’t speak for INEC. Just speak for the National Assembly.
“And what the public wants is, let there be electronic transmission of election results, and now if INEC cannot do it. It’s in their own problem, not for you to speak for INEC…(sic),” said Mark.
Last week, the Senate passed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026, but rejected an amendment to allow electronic transmission of polling unit results.
Instead, the federal lawmakers retained the existing framework, which permits manual completion, signing, stamping, and physical transfer of results in line with procedures prescribed by INEC.
Meanwhile Senate president Godswill Akpabio maintained that the Electoral Act is still a work in progress.
“The Electoral Act amendment is incomplete. We have not finished working on it. People are already debating it on television, but they don’t understand how lawmaking works,” Akpabio said.
He explained that decisions taken on the Senate floor are subject to review during the Votes and Proceedings stage, where lawmakers can correct or clarify what was agreed upon before final passage.
