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By Lizzy Chirkpi
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law, just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission released the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The signing ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and was witnessed by principal officers of the National Assembly of Nigeria, following the passage of the amendment bill by the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Although no official statement was issued immediately after the signing, the new law has reignited nationwide debate over the role of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process particularly the long-standing demand for real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to INEC’s central system.
Many Nigerians, including opposition figures and civil society groups, have consistently argued that electronic transmission would curb manipulation and enhance transparency. The calls grew louder after technical glitches affected INEC’s results portal during the 2023 general elections, sparking widespread allegations of irregularities.
INEC has fixed February 20, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and state assembly polls are scheduled for March 6.
However, a key provision in the amended law has already generated controversy. The new legislation repeals Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2022, which previously allowed political parties to adopt direct primaries, indirect primaries, or consensus in nominating candidates.
Another contentious area is Clause 60(3) of the amendment. While civil society organisations and opposition groups pushed for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results, the final law accommodates manual collation as the primary fallback where network coverage fails.
As Nigerians prepare for the 2027 polls, attention is now turning to how INEC will interpret and implement the amended law particularly on result transmission and whether it will address lingering concerns over electoral credibility.