OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS STAGE WALKOUT AS REPS ADOPT MANUAL TRANSMISSION OF RESULTS

Earlier, there was a rowdy session in the House of Representatives as Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive (APC – Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency) had moved a motion for the rescission of the earlier passed Electoral Amendment Bill 2026.

Recall that the House of Representatives earlier passed the Bill on 23rd December 2025, backing Article 60(3): mandatory real-time transmission of results through the IReV portal, a move the Senate passed with a proviso (manual voting when network fails).

Calls by Hon. Waive to recall the Bill caused an uproar in the green chamber prompting an Executive session (behind closed doors).

Returning to resume plenary, the House dissolved into a Committee of the whole chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu. The Bende-born lawmaker however chose to carry the clauses in 10s (Clause 40-50, Clause 50-60), and hitting the gavel continuously with lawmakers in complete disarray.

Majority lawmakers called for a clause-by-clause review which the Deputy Speaker acceded to. Nonetheless, he however hit the gavel on Clause 60 with a proviso as passed by the Senate (manual transmission where network fails), causing chaos and protest from lawmakers who are demanding he turns down amendments to Clause 60.

Opposition lawmakers are standing and protesting. An unidentified Reps member shouting ‘Ole’ into the microphone….there is chaos in the green chamber.

Bamidele Salam (PDP- Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency) moves a motion to remove the proviso, seconded by Kingsley Chinda (PDP – Obi-Akpor), it fails with majority ‘nays’.

Ugochinyere Ikenga (Imo) moves a motion for an amendment that results transmitted to IReV if successful must tally with Form EC8A, seconded by Ginger Onwusibe (Abia), amendment fails with majority ‘nays’.

An unidentified member shouts into the microphone “they have collected money”, and members stage walkout.

Minority caucus of the House of Representatives have stage a walkout chanting “APC OLE”

The House subsequently pass the Senate-type manual and electronic transmission of results via voice votes.