BREAKING: Tinubu Signs Electoral Act 2026 Amendment
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) into law, following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s release of the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The ceremony took place around 5:00 pm at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, with principal officers of the National Assembly present. The bill had been passed by the National Assembly just a day earlier.
The amendment has reignited debates over the electronic transmission of election results. Civil society groups and opposition figures have long called for results to be transmitted in real time from polling units to INEC’s central server, arguing it would reduce manipulation and enhance credibility.
Protesters had disrupted the National Assembly last week, demanding live transmission, citing the collapse of INEC’s Results Viewing Portal during the 2023 elections, which fueled widespread allegations of rigging.
While the All Progressives Congress supports adopting technology in elections, some stakeholders argue that areas with weak telecommunications infrastructure may need a phased or hybrid approach, allowing manual collation where electronic systems fail.
The 2027 general elections are scheduled for February 20 for Presidential and National Assembly polls, and March 6 for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
