Senator Orji Uzor Kalu Denies Opposing E-Transmission of Election Results
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has firmly reiterated his support for the electronic transmission of election results, actively distancing himself from a recently resurfaced video that purportedly shows him opposing the crucial electoral process. The Abia North lawmaker made these clarifying statements on Tuesday following an emergency plenary session focused on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, during which the Senate meticulously reconsidered provisions directly relating to the electronic transmission of results.
Clarification on Amended Electoral Act Provisions
Kalu explained that the newly amended Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act now explicitly allows presiding officers to electronically transmit results after Form EC8A has been duly completed and properly signed at the polling unit. "Electronic transmission is now recognised as the primary option where the necessary technology is available and fully functional. Where it is not possible, the signed Form EC8A remains the authentic and legal source of the result," he elaborated in detail.
According to his comprehensive explanation, this carefully crafted provision effectively strikes a necessary balance between transparency and practicality, thereby ensuring that voters residing in areas with weak or completely absent network coverage are not unjustly disenfranchised during electoral processes.
Addressing the Viral Video Controversy
Addressing the viral video that has circulated widely on social media platforms, Kalu's office issued a formal clarification stating that the footage dates back to 2020 during intensive deliberations by the 9th Senate at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when senators were visibly seen wearing protective face masks. The video allegedly suggests, though misleadingly, that he opposed electronic transmission at that specific historical moment. However, his office maintained emphatically that he has not opposed the process in the current 10th Senate under any circumstances.
"The 10th Senate has made significant and commendable progress on this matter. Even the distinguished Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, did not oppose electronic transmission. The overwhelming majority of senators actively supported it," Kalu stated unequivocally during his press briefing.
Historical Context and Evolving Realities
He further noted that debates and discussions within the 9th Senate were fundamentally shaped by the prevailing realities of that period, which included severely limited access to technology, inadequate power supply across numerous regions, and substantial infrastructure challenges that hampered digital initiatives. "Discussions then naturally reflected the genuine constraints of that specific period. The technological and infrastructural situation has evolved considerably since then," he added, providing important historical context.
Senate's Legislative Actions
During Tuesday's crucial plenary session, the Senate officially rescinded and subsequently re-amended specific aspects of the Electoral Act to formally permit electronic transmission of results, while deliberately stopping short of making real-time upload mandatory for all scenarios. In cases where electronic transmission proves technically unfeasible due to connectivity issues, the physically signed EC8A form will legally serve as the authoritative basis for collation and final declaration of results, ensuring a fail-safe mechanism.
The controversy gained traction when a social media user posted: "Because there's no coverage in my village, I vote no to electronic transmission of results." - Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and his APC cohorts fighting the use of real-time electronic transmission of results. Now Orji Uzor Kalu is very shameless, so Igbere doesn't have coverage..." This post referenced a tweet from February 10, 2026, which included the contentious video clip, sparking widespread online discussion and necessitating the senator's detailed response.
