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By Sola Rotimi
President Bola Tinubu has officially signed the controversial Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill into law, barely 24 hours after its passage by the National Assembly.
The presidential assent was granted at the Presidential Villa in Abuja at approximately 5:00 pm on Wednesday.
The brief ceremony was attended by principal officers of the National Assembly, following the swift legislative approval of the bill on Tuesday.
The signing comes just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the official timetable for the 2027 general elections, signaling a rapid acceleration of the country’s preparations for the next transition.
The amendment has been the subject of intense national debate, particularly regarding the electronic transmission of election results.
Civil society organizations and opposition figures have consistently advocated for the mandatory “real-time” transmission of results from polling units directly to INEC’s central server, maintaining that such a move is essential to curb manual manipulation and bolster the credibility of Nigerian elections.
With the President’s signature, the new legislative framework will now govern the conduct of the upcoming 2027 general elections, despite ongoing concerns from stakeholders over the specific technicalities of result management.
