Senate Passes Electoral Act Amendment Bill After Five-Hour Deliberation, Rejects Realtime Transmission of Results
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu and Nelson Ogbu – Abuja
Democracy Newsline
February 5, 2026.
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday approved the Electoral Act Amendment Bill after an exhaustive five-hour clause-by-clause deliberation on the floor of the chamber.
The bill was the sole item on the Senate’s Order Paper for the day, following a valedictory session held in honour of the late former lawmaker, Okey Ezea. Lawmakers resolved to devote the entire sitting to the proposed amendment, underscoring the importance of electoral reforms ahead of future elections.
Sitting as a Committee of the Whole, the Senate carefully examined and adopted all 155 clauses contained in the bill, making a number of amendments to selected provisions while retaining the majority of the sections as originally proposed.
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One of the major amendments approved by the lawmakers relates to the timeline for election notices by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Senate reduced the period required for INEC to issue notices of election from 360 days to 180 days before the conduct of polls, a move lawmakers said would enhance administrative flexibility without undermining transparency.
However, the Senate rejected a proposal that sought to mandate the real-time electronic transmission of election results directly from polling units. Instead, lawmakers resolved to retain the provision allowing electronic transmission of results in line with existing legal frameworks, as provided for under the Electoral Act.
During the debate, several senators argued that while technology remains crucial to improving electoral credibility, mandating real-time transmission without addressing infrastructure, security, and logistical challenges could create avoidable complications in the electoral process.
The passage of the amendment bill marks another significant step in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its electoral system, though the decision to exclude compulsory real-time transmission is expected to generate debate among political stakeholders and civil society groups.
The bill is expected to be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being forwarded to the President for assent.
Key Legislative Changes and Rejections
1. Electronic Transmission of Results (Clause 60)
The Senate rejected a proposed amendment to make the electronic transmission of results mandatory.
The Rejected Proposal: Would have required presiding officers to transmit polling unit results to the IREV portal in real time after forms were signed.
The Adopted Provision: The Senate maintained the current law, which allows the Commission (INEC) to prescribe the manner in which results and accreditation data are transferred.
2. Voter Identification and Accreditation (Clause 47)
Technology Upgrade: The Senate officially replaced “smart card readers” with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation and voting.
Voter ID: Lawmakers rejected electronically generated voter identification. The Permanent Voter Card (PVC) remains the sole mandatory mode of identification at polling units.
3. Revised Election Timelines
The Senate approved significant reductions to administrative timelines:
Notice of Election (Clause 28): Reduced from 360 days to 180 days before the election date.
Submission of Candidate Lists (Clause 29): Reduced from 180 days to 90 days before the general election.
4. Penalties for PVC Offenses (Clause 22)
The Senate rejected a proposed 10-year prison sentence for the buying and selling of PVCs. Instead, it:
Retained the two-year imprisonment term.
Increased the fine from ₦2 million to ₦5 million.
5. Legal Evidence and Non-Compliance (Clause 142)
The Senate struck out Clause 142, which would have allowed parties to prove non-compliance using only original or certified documents without the need for oral evidence. The provision was removed to prevent what lawmakers termed a “waste of time in court.”
6. Ballot Paper Inspection (Clause 44)
The Senate retained the existing process for ballot paper verification:
Parties have two days to submit a written approval or disapproval of their representation on those samples.
INEC must invite political parties to inspect their identities on sample electoral materials at least 20 days before an election.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, FEBRUARY 5TH 2026)
