Tinubu: Why I Signed Electoral Reform Bill Into Law

| It’s a missed opportunity for reform, says Yiaga Africa
| FCT minister Wike hails presidential assent to bill

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Chibuzo Ukaibe, James Kwen, Igho Oyoyo

President Bola Tinubu has signed into law the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2026, declaring that Nigeria’s electoral process remains “essentially manual” despite new provisions recognising electronic viewing of results.

The signing ceremony, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

In his remarks, President Tinubu said the overriding objective of the amendments was to ensure clarity in the electoral process and safeguard Nigerians from disenfranchisement.

“It’s not as important as the history aspect of this; what is crucial is the fact that you managed the process to the extent there will be no confusion, no disenfranchisement of Nigerians, and that we are all going to see democracy flourish,” the President said.

He maintained that, despite technological improvements, elections in Nigeria are ultimately conducted and concluded by human beings.

“No matter how good a system is, it’s managed by the people… In fact, for final results, you are not going to be talking to the computer, you are going to be talking to human beings, who’ll announce the results,” Tinubu noted.

The President stressed that voting remains manual.

“As long as you appear personally as a manual voter in any polling booth, a ballot paper is given to you manually… ballots are subsequently counted manually, sorted and counted manually… It’s still manual, essentially,” he said.

Raising concerns about infrastructure, Tinubu questioned Nigeria’s broadband capacity and readiness for seamless real-time electronic transmission of results.

“When you look at the crux of various arguments, maybe Nigeria should question our broadband capability. How technically are we today? How technically will we be tomorrow?” he asked.

He warned against technological disruptions and cyber threats, stating: “The transmission of that manual result is what we’re looking at, and we need to avoid glitches… interference, unnecessary hacking in this age of computer inquisitiveness.”

Speaking after the signing, Akpabio described the amendments as thorough and reflective of Nigeria’s peculiarities.

“A lot of provisions in the amended act will definitely make Nigerians very happy. We did a very thorough job, very painstaking. We took cognisance of the peculiarities of the country,” he said.

Akpabio disclosed that the amended law legally recognises the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing portal (IReV) to enable electronic viewing of polling unit results.

“All Nigerians wanted was that in the IReV portal, which is a kind of viewing centre for polling unit results, they would like to see those results transmitted electronically. We have included that in the amendment just signed into law,” he stated.

He explained that the law also provides for areas without network coverage by recognising Form EC8A, signed at the polling unit by the presiding officer, party agents and security personnel, as the primary source of collation.

“Even if there’s no network at that time, once we step out toward the ward or local government centre, it will drop into the IReV, and people will still be able to view it,” Akpabio said.

According to him, the new framework addresses what he described as Nigeria’s historic challenge of result tampering.

“That has always been the problem in our country: once an election result leaves a polling unit, it gets tampered with or mutilated. That has been eliminated today,” he added.

On his part, Abbas highlighted the reduction of the statutory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days.

“The number of days’ notice was 360 days in the 2022 Act. Now we have seen the wisdom to reduce it to 300 days,” Abbas said.

He noted that the adjustment could allow presidential and National Assembly elections to be held in January 2027.

“This will inadvertently allow holding the presidential and National Assembly elections in January 2027, technically avoiding elections during Ramadan 2027 to avoid voter apathy in the next general election,” he said.

Electoral Bill Assent, Missed Opportunity For Reforms – Yiaga Africa

Yiaga Africa has described President Tinubu’s signing of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, as a missed opportunity for the transformative reforms Nigeria requires.

Tinubu on Wednesday signed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, passed by both chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Reacting to the development, Yiaga Africa’s executive director, Samson Itodo, said the President’s decision to grant assent without addressing substantive legal, technical and democratic concerns suggested that political expediency was prioritised over electoral integrity.

“The Electoral Act 2026 that has now been signed into law is a missed opportunity for the transformative electoral reform that Nigeria requires and that Nigerian citizens deserve.

“At a time when public confidence in elections remains fragile, this law should have decisively strengthened transparency, eliminated structural ambiguities, and deepened safeguards against manipulation. Instead, it settles for incremental adjustments where fundamental clarity was needed.

“The presidency’s decision to grant assent without addressing the substantive legal, technical, and democratic concerns raised by civil society, professional bodies, and some legislators suggests that political expediency was prioritised over electoral integrity and credibility,” Itodo said in a message to LEADERSHIP.

Let’s Accept Signing Of Electoral Law But Put INEC On Its Toes  – CISLAC, TMG

In its own reaction, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) said Nigerians have no option but to accept the signing into law of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

CISLAC executive director and TMG chairman, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said Nigerians must now focus on demanding credible polls from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Even though Nigerians have demanded and advocated for an improved electoral law by ensuring that there are some provisions that will at least prevent fraud, rigging, and the general practices in our electoral law. Nigerians have spoken, they have demanded, they have agitated, unfortunately, because of the fact that some legislators represent themselves, not the people, not the interest of consolidating democracy by ensuring that the electoral law is free, fair, credible, and that can help to boost confidence in the electorate to participate even in the electoral process.

“Now that they’ve ignored the call from Nigerians, it’s sad, but then, the signing of the electoral law by the president is something that Nigerians will have to accept for now, so that we can continue to demand an improved electoral law in Nigeria.

“So let’s not get demoralised, let’s stand up and insist that the INEC conduct a free, fair and credible election, ensuring that there’s a level playing ground, ensuring that the riggers or the people who plotted to ensure that they thwart the election by rigging did not succeed.

“So it is important that the politician, the political parties, the Nigerian people generally, they vote, they make sure that they demand proper conduct of election, ensuring that the votes count, ensuring that they do not give room for opportunities for those who do not wish electoral transparency to happen. I think if we do that, we will be able to at least overcome the deliberate and conscious efforts to create conditions for rigging in the 2027 election.

“So Nigerians should continue to demand and call for an improved electoral law, even after the passage of this law, because it’s a continuous thing that we can always demand for an improvement of the electoral law to be amended,” he added.

Wike Hails President’s Assent

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has hailed President Tinubu for promptly signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law.

In a statement on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister described the President’s action as another demonstration of his commitment to deepening democracy and enhancing electoral credibility.

Wike said the passage of the amended bill by the National Assembly and the President’s immediate assent had ended what he described as unnecessary protests by those preparing excuses for impending electoral defeat.

“Democracy has always been a work-in-progress, as it has continuously evolved,” he said, adding that constant review of the Electoral Act would strengthen the democratic process.

“I therefore congratulate Mr President and the National Assembly members for playing their roles in this dispensation to make democracy stronger.

“Particularly, I commend the President for not keeping Nigerians waiting for more than 24 hours before signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law,” he said.

Tinubu’s Hurried Signing Shows Fear Of Defeat – Turaki-led PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the hurried signing of the Electoral Act by President Tinubu, despite concerns raised by Nigerians, shows that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) fears defeat in a credible election.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said in a statement:

“The hurried grant of a presidential assent to the contentious bill as passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, despite the widespread opposition by Nigerians, is a confirmation of the fact that this was a well-choreographed drama by the APC.

“The party’s fear of the inevitable defeat from a free and fair election is palpable, and they are unable to conceal it again.”

The opposition party described Wednesday as a sad day for democracy, adding that Nigerians had been dealt a bad card that threatens democratic stability.

“The President has shown his inability to rise above partisanship in the art of governance,” he said.