President Bola Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) into law, days after the Independent National Electoral Commission released the timetable for the 2027 general elections. The signing took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with principal officers of the National Assembly in attendance.
The amendment follows the National Assembly’s passage of the bill and comes amid debates over real-time transmission of election results. Civil society groups and opposition figures had urged mandatory live transmission of results from polling units to INEC’s central server, citing concerns over transparency and result manipulation.
While proponents emphasized that real-time results could enhance electoral credibility, the ruling All Progressives Congress and other stakeholders raised concerns about technical challenges, especially in areas with poor telecommunications infrastructure. They advocated for a phased or hybrid approach allowing manual collation where electronic systems fail.
The 2027 general elections are scheduled for February 20 for Presidential and National Assembly contests, and March 6 for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections. The amendment aims to provide a legal framework to strengthen the electoral process while accommodating practical challenges.
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