President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the 2026 Electoral Act amendment bill into law, just 24 hours after its passage by the National Assembly. The swift assent has drawn significant criticism from civil society groups and opposition parties, who argue the legislation fails to address key demands for electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), including Yiaga Africa, the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), and TAF Africa, expressed deep disappointment. They stated the final act does not reflect the extensive public engagement and submissions made during the legislative process. The coalition highlighted several concerning omissions, most notably the absence of a mandate for real-time electronic transmission of election results to INEC’s IReV portal. Other cited flaws include a N50 million non-refundable fee for new political party registration and the restriction of party primaries to only direct or consensus modes.
Jake Epelle of TAF Africa called the presidential assent “the darkest day for Nigeria’s democracy,” asserting the law creates more vulnerabilities instead of strengthening safeguards. The CSOs faulted the speed of the signing, suggesting it prioritised political expediency over broad consultation. “Electoral reform should be guided by broad consultation and consensus, not compressed timelines and executive finality,” Epelle said.
The group did, however, acknowledge some positive provisions: Section 18 allows for downloadable voter cards to reduce disenfranchisement, Section 9 requires the voter register to be disaggregated by disability type, and Sections 62 and 71 introduce stringent penalties, including mandatory jail terms, for result falsification by officials.
Opposition parties echoed the criticism. The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) described the assent as a “missed historic opportunity,” specifically warning that a provision allowing Presiding Officers to rely on paper forms (EC8A) during network failure creates an “exploitable loophole.” The African Democratic Congress (ADC) went further, claiming Tinubu “signed the death warrant on credible elections” and accused the ruling APC of seeking to rig the 2027 polls.
Conversely, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, Convener of the Northern Stakeholders’ Consultative Initiative, praised the President’s action and the law’s emphasis on direct primaries. He argued it dismantles a system where party “godfathers” dictated candidates, instead promoting a more open and member-driven process.
The new law now governs Nigeria’s electoral framework. Its implementation, particularly regarding result collation and INEC’s operational guidelines, will be closely watched by stakeholders who fear it may undermine public confidence in the 2027 elections. Civil society has urged continued vigilance to safeguard the process against malpractice.
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