President Bola Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law, commending lawmakers for what he described as preventing ‘potential hacking’ of election results.
The signing ceremony marks the culmination of months of intense debate and deliberations within the National Assembly. Both chambers of the National Assembly passed the bill on Tuesday, navigating complex discussions that ultimately led to this significant amendment to the nation's electoral framework.
While the legislation comprises approximately 154 clauses, one particular provision, Clause 60, generated the most controversy. This clause, crucially, makes the electronic transmission of election results optional, rather than mandatory.
During the legislative process, the Senate had initially rejected calls for mandatory electronic transmission. Instead, it chose to retain the provision in the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows for results to be transmitted to collation centers without making electronic transmission compulsory. This decision sparked considerable public debate and dissatisfaction.
Some Nigerians and civil society organizations expressed strong dissatisfaction with this caveat. Protests were notably held at the National Assembly, and various stakeholders continued to agitate for mandatory electronic transmission, prompting the Senate to reconvene and vote on the matter again. Despite these persistent calls, the optional clause was ultimately maintained in the final bill.
President Tinubu, in signing the bill, explicitly expressed his support for the lawmakers’ decision. He insisted that the amendment would still allow transparency while minimizing technical disruptions. His remarks directly addressed the concerns surrounding electronic transmission, suggesting a pragmatic approach to election technology.
The President further elaborated on his rationale, arguing that Nigeria may not yet possess the full technical capacity to sustain mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results. He urged Nigerians to critically question the country’s broadband capability, implying that the infrastructure might not be robust enough for such a blanket mandate.
President Tinubu stated, and we quote: “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 will announce the final results. And when you look at the crux of various arguments, maybe Nigerians should question our broadband capability. How technically are we today? How technically will we be tomorrow to answer the call of either real-time or not?”
He concluded on a hopeful note regarding Nigeria's democratic future: “Nigeria will be there. We will flourish. We will continue to nurture this democracy for the fulfilment of our dream for the prosperity and stability of our country.”
The signing of this bill will undoubtedly continue to generate debate. Proponents argue it provides flexibility and guards against technical failures or malicious interference, while critics maintain it could undermine transparency and open the door to manipulation. The core of the discussion remains the balance between leveraging technology for electoral integrity and ensuring the practicality and security of its implementation in Nigeria's unique context.
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