Tinubu Assents to Electoral Act 2026 Ahead of 2027 Polls
By NJORIGE LYNUS
Electoral Reform Takes New Turn
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has signed into law the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026, formally replacing the previous legislation and setting the legal framework for Nigeria’s next general election cycle.
The signing followed the bill’s passage by the National Assembly after months of deliberations, revisions and intense debate in both chambers. Lawmakers had faced sustained public scrutiny, particularly over provisions relating to the electronic transmission of election results.
The new law repeals the Electoral Act 2022 and re-enacts an updated Electoral Act 2026, introducing fresh provisions aimed at strengthening transparency, clarifying procedures and addressing legal ambiguities that emerged during recent elections.
While full details of the amendments are expected to be released in the coming days, officials say the updated framework is designed to enhance electoral credibility and administrative efficiency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Observers note that reforms to result transmission processes and collation procedures were among the most contentious aspects of the legislative review. The implementation of these provisions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will likely determine the law’s impact on public confidence in future polls.
With the president’s assent, attention now shifts to how electoral authorities operationalise the new legal framework in preparation for 2027.
