The Nigerian Senate has officially passed the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2026, marking a pivotal but controversial shift in the nation’s voting framework ahead of the 2027 general elections. The final passage on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, followed a tumultuous session characterized by a rowdy standoff between the ruling party and opposition lawmakers over the mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
The flashpoint of the debate was Clause 60(3), which governs how results move from polling units to the national collation center. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC/Abia South) led a spirited push for a division of the House, demanding the removal of a “manual backup” proviso. Abaribe and his supporters argued that allowing manual transmission in the event of technical failure creates a “legal loophole” for the manipulation of figures. However, the motion was defeated in a lopsided vote, with 55 senators favoring the manual backup and only 15 opposing it. Senate President Godswill Akpabio maintained that the provision is a pragmatic necessity to account for Nigeria’s varied internet infrastructure.
Beyond the electronic transmission row, the 2026 Act introduces several landmark changes to the electoral calendar. To ensure all election-related litigations are concluded before the May 29, 2027 handover date, the new law mandates that presidential and gubernatorial elections must hold at least 185 days before the expiration of the incumbent’s tenure. This effectively schedules the next presidential election for November 2026. Additionally, the Bill officially replaces “smart card readers” with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) as the sole legal means of accreditation.
The legislation also sharpens penalties for electoral offenses, increasing the fine for the buying and selling of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from N2 million to N5 million, while retaining a two-year prison term. Despite these upgrades, civil rights groups have expressed deep reservations, warning that the Senate’s refusal to mandate “real-time” IReV uploads could erode public trust. The Bill now moves to a conference committee for harmonization with the House of Representatives’ version before being transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for his signature.
