President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday assented to the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill, formally signing it into law.
The signing comes just days after the (INEC) unveiled the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
Sources confirmed that the ceremony took place at about 5:00 p.m. at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, with principal officers of the National Assembly in attendance. The National Assembly had passed the amendment bill on Tuesday before forwarding it to the President for assent.
The amended law has reignited national debate over the electronic transmission of election results. Civil society organisations and opposition figures have consistently advocated for real-time transmission of results directly from polling units to INEC’s central server, arguing that it would reduce manipulation and enhance electoral transparency.
Tensions escalated last week when protesters stormed the National Assembly complex, demanding mandatory live transmission of results. The demonstration followed lingering concerns from the 2023 general elections, during which INEC’s Results Viewing Portal experienced technical glitches, sparking allegations of irregularities.
While the ruling (APC) has expressed support for the integration of technology in elections, some stakeholders maintain that regions with limited telecommunications infrastructure may require a phased or hybrid system. They argue that manual collation should be permitted in areas where electronic transmission fails.
According to INEC’s timetable, the 2027 general elections will be held on February 20 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for March 6.
