President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill into law, just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The signing took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja at about 5:00 p.m., with principal officers of the National Assembly in attendance.
The National Assembly had passed the bill on Tuesday.
The amendment reignites debate over the electronic transmission of election results.
Civil society groups and some opposition figures have long advocated real-time transmission of results from polling units to INEC’s central server, arguing that it would curb manipulation and strengthen electoral credibility.
Protesters last week disrupted proceedings at the National Assembly complex, demanding live transmission of results. They cited failures during the 2023 elections when INEC’s Results Viewing Portal collapsed, triggering widespread allegations of rigging.
While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) supports technology adoption, some stakeholders argue that areas with poor telecommunications infrastructure require a phased or hybrid approach, allowing manual collation where electronic systems fail.
The 2027 general elections are scheduled to hold on February 20 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, and on March 6 for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
