President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the 2026 Electoral Act (Amendment) ahead of the 2027 general elections amid renewed concerns over the communication of election results.
The development was reported by Voice of Nigeria, which said the signing ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, State House, Abuja.
The amendments come days after Parliament passed a revised bill, sparking new debate about the adoption of hybrid systems that combine electronic and manual transmission of results, particularly in areas where there are network challenges.
The new law comes into force at the same time as the election umpire’s recent announcement of election notices and election calendars.
what the president said
The signing of the amended bill was witnessed by key parliamentary leaders days after it was passed in a tumultuous session.
“It’s time to have confidence in our system,” the president stressed, adding that no matter how good the system is, it is managed by the people, promoted by the people, and the results are ultimately determined by the people.
“In fact, when it comes to the final results, you’re not talking to a computer, you’re talking to a human being who is presenting the results,” he said. The president continued: “As long as you present yourself at the polling place as a manual voter, your ballot will be given to you and you can vote without any problems. Your ballot will be counted manually. Only the arithmetic precision will be entered into the system.”
back story
The development also followed the official release by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the notification of elections and the calendar and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections.
The INEC leadership had earlier outlined strategic focus areas aimed at reaffirming its independence and neutrality and strengthening public confidence in the 2027 electoral process.
The renewed emphasis on technology stems from the protracted legislative deliberations surrounding the 2022 election law amendments. Lawmakers initially rejected the obligation to electronically transmit election results from polling stations to INEC’s Results Viewing Portal (IREV) after votes were counted, sparking a public backlash and protests at Parliament House.
The Senate later reversed its earlier decision following a backlash from civil society groups and stakeholders.
The Senate subsequently re-amended the election law to accommodate electronic transmission of results.
The amendment is based on a motion filed by Senate President Whip Tahir Monguno during an emergency plenary session.
The new provisions enable manual submission using form EC8A as the primary means of collating results in the event of an internet outage.
The compromise effectively introduced a hybrid system that combines electronic transmission with manual verification where technical limitations exist, reflecting continued concerns over digital infrastructure and legal clarity since the 2023 election.
What you need to know
The amendments come as INEC faces a change in leadership ahead of the 2027 polls. In 2025, the Senate confirmed Prof. Joash Ampitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of INEC following the approval of the Council of State.
His confirmation was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio after several hours of scrutiny by lawmakers. Mr. Ampitan answered questions on electoral reform and operational preparedness during the plenary session. Nairametrics reported on October 9 that the Council of State had approved his nomination, paving the way for Senate confirmation.
Additionally, INEC has proposed a N209 billion budget to the National Assembly to cover technical requirements for the 2027 elections, subject to legislative approval, highlighting the financial impact of expanding digital infrastructure for polling.
