Tinubu signs 2026 electoral act amendment into Law

In a significant move ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, President Bola Tinubu officially signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) into law on Wednesday. The historic signing ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja around 5:00 pm, with principal officers of the National Assembly in attendance.

This development comes just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the official timetable for next year’s elections.

The National Assembly had passed the bill on Tuesday.

The amendment reignites debates over the electronic transmission of election results.

Civil society groups and some opposition figures have long pushed for real-time transmission of results from polling units to INEC’s central server, arguing it would curb manipulation and strengthen credibility.

Protesters had last week disrupted the National Assembly complex to demand live transmission, citing failures during the 2023 elections when INEC’s Results Viewing Portal collapsed, triggering widespread allegations of rigging.

While the ruling All Progressives Congress supports technology adoption, some stakeholders argue that areas with poor telecommunications infrastructure require a phased or hybrid approach, allowing manual collation where electronic systems fail.

The 2027 general elections are scheduled to hold on February 20 for Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 6 for Governorship & State Houses of Assembly Elections.