Senate President Godswill Akpabio has pushed back against mounting criticism of the National Assembly’s ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act, insisting that lawmakers are being judged on a process that is yet to be concluded.

Speaking in Abuja at the unveiling of a book titled The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria, authored by former senator Effiong Bob, Akpabio rejected claims that the Senate had removed electronic transmission of election results from the law. He maintained that the controversy stems from a misunderstanding of both the legislative process and the specific changes under consideration.

According to him, the Senate’s debate has focused on the requirement for “real-time” electronic transmission, not on whether results can be transmitted electronically at all. He argued that the insistence on real-time transmission could create legal and practical complications in a country where power supply and network coverage remain unreliable.

Akpabio said the amendment bill was still a work in progress and criticised commentators who, in his view, rushed to the media without grasping parliamentary procedure. He stressed that no bill before the Senate is final until it passes all stages and is captured in the Votes and Proceedings.

He accused some civil society actors and analysts of attempting to “legislate from the sidelines,” urging those who want direct influence over lawmaking to seek elective office. Retreats and consultations, he noted, are advisory and cannot override debates and decisions taken on the floor of the Senate.

Reiterating that no mode of result transmission had been outlawed, Akpabio said the Independent National Electoral Commission should retain the discretion to determine how and when results are transmitted, within the framework of the law. He warned that a rigid legal requirement for real-time transmission could see results from areas with poor connectivity or insecurity invalidated in court.

He framed the debate as a balance between technological aspiration and institutional capacity, cautioning that mistrust of the legislature and misinterpretation of its work could erode democratic stability.

At the same event, former Senate President and National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, David Mark, urged the National Assembly to pass a law that empowers INEC rather than speaking on its behalf, arguing that the commission should decide whether it can implement real-time electronic transmission.