Nigeria's president signs amended Electoral Act into law despite push back

Amendment to Nigeria's Electoral Act Signed into Law

On Wed, Oct 11, 2023, Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu signed into law an amended Electoral Act. The amendment aims to enhance electoral processes and provide greater clarity in the conduction of polls.

The removal of a clause mandating the "real-time" electronic transmission of election results. The House of Representatives initially passed a version of the Bill requiring results to be transmitted in real time from polling stations to the Independent National Electoral Commission. The Senate rejected this clause and maintained a provision for results to be transmitted first to collation centers. An amendment was later made to make electronic transmission optional, with a provision for reverting to paper confirmation when internet connectivity is unavailable.

This new law will be implemented in the 2027 elections. Concerns have been raised by civil society groups and opposition parties about the potential impact on the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.

Based on reporting by Africanews.