Abuja, Nigeria — The Nigerian Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026 has drawn criticism from political stakeholders and civil society advocates who argue that the legislation fails to address longstanding concerns about electoral transparency.
While the amended bill introduces changes such as reducing the timeline for the publication of election notices from 360 days to 180 days, critics contend that it retains key provisions of the 2022 Act and stops short of instituting more far-reaching reforms.
Central to the debate is the Senate’s decision not to adopt a proposed amendment that would have made real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing (IREV) portal mandatory. Instead, the law maintains the existing language that allows transmission “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission,” a provision some observers say grants broad discretionary powers to the electoral body.
Chief Peter Ameh, former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), described the omission as a missed opportunity to strengthen electoral integrity. In a statement, Ameh argued that without compulsory electronic transmission immediately after results are signed at polling units, the electoral process remains vulnerable to manual interference during collation.
According to him, retaining discretionary transmission provisions may undermine public confidence in the credibility of future elections. He also raised concerns about the continued reliance on physical Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for accreditation alongside the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), suggesting that deeper technological reforms are needed to enhance transparency.
Ameh further noted that the decision could have implications for youth participation in elections. He said many young Nigerians, who represent a significant portion of the electorate, have expressed frustration over perceived irregularities in past polls and were hoping for stronger safeguards in the amended law.
“The refusal to mandate electronic transmission sends the wrong signal to citizens who have consistently demanded reforms that guarantee transparency and protect the sanctity of their votes,” he said.
Supporters of mandatory electronic transmission argue that it would reduce disputes arising from manual collation and enhance trust in the electoral process. However, lawmakers have yet to provide detailed justification for rejecting the proposed clause.
As debates continue, analysts say the effectiveness of the amended Electoral Act will ultimately be measured by its impact on the credibility, transparency, and public acceptance of future elections.
Chief Peter Ameh
Former National Chairman, IPAC
