President Bola Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law, following its passage by the National Assembly after months of deliberations and intense legislative debate.
The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, in the presence of key government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Speaking at the event, Tinubu stressed the importance of national consensus, transparency, and confidence in democratic institutions, noting that robust debates are essential for nation-building and political stability.
According to him, Nigerians must develop trust in the electoral system, as democracy thrives on credible processes and inclusive participation.
He explained that regardless of technological advancements, human involvement remains central to the electoral process, from voting to final result declaration.
The president noted that ballots are manually cast, counted, and collated, while technology merely supports the transmission of results, stressing the need to manage the process carefully to prevent confusion, disenfranchisement, and technical failures.
Tinubu further cautioned against interference, cyber manipulation, and unnecessary hacking, saying Nigeria must adopt electoral methods that align with its current technological capabilities.
He urged stakeholders to consider the nation’s broadband capacity and infrastructure limitations when advocating real-time electronic transmission of results.
According to him, the goal should be to ensure that elections are credible, transparent, and free from disruptions that could undermine public confidence.
Tinubu expressed optimism that Nigeria’s democracy would continue to grow stronger, adding that the country must nurture its democratic institutions to achieve prosperity, stability, and national unity.
The signing of the bill comes after days of heated debates in both chambers of the National Assembly over Clause 60, which governs the transmission and collation of election results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In the Senate, lawmakers were sharply divided over provisions allowing manual collation to serve as a backup where electronic transmission fails, leading to a tense and rowdy session.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe had demanded a division on the controversial clause, triggering intense exchanges and procedural disputes among senators before a vote was eventually conducted.
Fifteen opposition senators voted against the manual backup proviso, while 55 senators supported it, paving the way for the bill’s passage.
At the House of Representatives, the debate was equally dramatic, as opposition lawmakers protested efforts to reverse an earlier provision mandating real-time electronic transmission of results.
The Speaker’s ruling in favour of rescinding the clause sparked uproar and led to an executive session, with minority lawmakers staging vocal protests.
Despite the controversies, both chambers eventually harmonised their positions, leading to the passage of the bill, which was transmitted to the presidency for assent.
The newly signed Electoral Act 2026 is expected to guide Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections, shaping result transmission, election timelines, and procedural safeguards.
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