National Assembly unveils key reforms in 2026 Electoral Act

The National Assembly unveiled far-reaching reforms contained in the Electoral Act, 2026, describing the new law as a major overhaul designed to enhance transparency, strengthen electoral integrity, and deepen democratic governance in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The reforms include the establishment of a dedicated fund for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), mandatory electronic transmission of election results, compulsory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation, and the requirement for political parties to maintain a digital membership register for the conduct of primaries.

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed the key highlights of the new electoral governance framework in a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Sunday. He stressed that the law resulted from extensive consultations with stakeholders over two years.

According to Bamidele, the National Assembly engaged the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), INEC, civil society organisations (CSOs), and development partners before harmonising the versions of the Electoral Bill passed by both chambers and transmitting it to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.

He explained that the President signed the bill into law within 24 hours of its passage to avert a possible constitutional crisis in the build-up to the 2027 general elections, despite concerns raised by some civil society groups over the speed of assent.

The making of the new regime is a collective work that involves nearly all critical stakeholders. “The National Assembly worked with diverse stakeholders, including the OAGF, CSOs, INEC, and our development partners, before completing the process,” Bamidele said.

As we were making progress, the stakeholders too were making their input, and all the inputs were incorporated into the Act. In view of the time constraint we are facing now, I do not believe the Executive requires days or weeks to review it before assent since we all contributed to it.”

He noted that the Act is designed to strengthen institutional independence, improve technological integration, enhance transparency in election management, and reinforce accountability mechanisms in Nigeria’s electoral system.

Bamidele revealed that Section 3 of the Act establishes a dedicated fund for INEC, which he said would guarantee financial autonomy, operational stability, and administrative continuity for the commission.

Under the provision, election funds are to be released at least six months before a general election, while INEC is empowered to review questionable result declarations made under duress or procedural violations.

“With this provision alone, INEC will operate with greater independence and quicker corrective powers,” he said.

The Senate Leader said Section 47 mandates presiding officers to use BVAS or any technological device INEC prescribes for voter accreditation, verification, and authentication

He added that Section 60(3) makes electronic transmission of election results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) mandatory, while Section 60(6) prescribes a six-month jail term or a fine of ₦500,000, or both, for any presiding officer who deliberately frustrates the electronic transmission of results.

“This provision is consistent with the public demands. We must equally understand that IReV is not a collation platform. It was designed to enhance transparency in our electoral process. An electronic collating system is a project that requires its own planning,” he explained.

However, the law allows the conditional use of Form EC8A for result transmission where electronic transmission fails due to communication challenges.

Bamidele noted that Section 72(2) allows a certified true copy of a court order to suffice for swearing-in a candidate where INEC fails or refuses to issue a certificate of return.

He added that Section 74(1) mandates Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to release certified true copies of documents within 24 hours after payment, with failure attracting a minimum of two years imprisonment without the option of fine.

The Act repeals the 2022 Electoral Act and introduces only direct and consensus primaries, effectively abolishing indirect primaries to broaden participation and reduce monetisation of party delegates.

Section 77 mandates political parties to maintain a digital membership register, issue membership cards, and submit the register to INEC at least 21 days before primaries, congresses or conventions.

“Any political party that fails to submit the membership register within the stipulated time shall not be eligible to field a candidate for that election,” Bamidele said, adding that the measures would deepen internal democracy and curb manipulation of party processes.

The Act also revises campaign spending limits upward, raising the cap for presidential candidates from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion; governorship from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion; Senate from ₦100 million to ₦500 million; House of Representatives from ₦70 million to ₦250 million; House of Assembly from ₦30 million to ₦100 million; Area Council from ₦30 million to ₦60 million; and councillorship from ₦5 million to ₦10 million.

Bamidele said the new law stiffens penalties for vote buying, impersonation and result manipulation, prescribing a two-year jail term or fines ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦2 million, or both.

He added that Section 49 mandates gender-separated queues in areas where cultural norms require it, while Section 54 provides support mechanisms for persons with visual impairment.

Section 93(4) also imposes a fine of ₦10 million on any political party that fails to submit accurate audited financial returns within the stipulated period.

Bamidele described the Electoral Act, 2026, as a consolidation and refinement of Nigeria’s electoral governance framework.

“The Act seeks to enhance electoral credibility, reduce disputes, and strengthen democratic governance in Nigeria. It emphasises financial and operational independence of INEC; technological integration with procedural safeguards; transparency in collation and declaration; stricter penalties for electoral offences and stronger regulation of political parties,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the reforms would significantly improve the conduct of elections and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.