President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday assented to the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill, a move that has reignited debate over the electronic transmission of election results, barely days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unveiled the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The signing ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, at about 5:00 p.m., with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, in attendance.
The development followed Tuesday’s harmonisation of the amendment by the Senate and the House of Representatives, despite stiff resistance from minority lawmakers who raised concerns over key provisions of the bill.
At the heart of the renewed controversy is the issue of electronic transmission of results.
Civil society organisations and opposition figures have consistently advocated real-time transmission of results from polling units directly to INEC’s central server, arguing that such a measure would minimise manipulation, enhance transparency and bolster public confidence in the electoral process.
The debate intensified last week when protesters stormed the National Assembly complex, demanding live transmission of results.
The demonstrators cited the 2023 general elections, during which INEC’s Results Viewing Portal reportedly malfunctioned, sparking widespread allegations of irregularities and eroding public trust.
While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed support for greater deployment of technology in elections, some stakeholders have urged caution, noting that poor telecommunications infrastructure in parts of the country could undermine seamless electronic transmission.
They have canvassed a phased or hybrid approach that would permit manual collation where electronic systems fail.
INEC has fixed February 20, 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls are scheduled for March 6, 2027, setting the stage for what is expected to be another closely watched electoral cycle.
