President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law, following its passage by the National Assembly after months of deliberations.
The bill sparked intense debate in the past week, particularly over the method of transmitting election results ahead of the 2027 general elections. Lawmakers and prominent Nigerians expressed divergent views on whether electronic transmission should be mandatory or allow room for manual alternatives.
On Tuesday, the Senate passed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 after a heated plenary session. Proceedings turned rowdy when Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC/Abia South) demanded a division on Clause 60.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio initially stated that the demand had been withdrawn, but opposition lawmakers quickly objected. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin cited Order 52(6), arguing it would be procedurally improper to revisit a matter already ruled upon by the Senate President.
The disagreement triggered further uproar, including a brief exchange between Senator Abaribe and Senator Sunday Karimi. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele clarified that he had sponsored the motion for rescission, noting that previous decisions on the bill were no longer binding and that Abaribe’s demand aligned with the motion.
Akpabio suggested that the call for division was an attempt by Abaribe to publicly register his position. He subsequently upheld the point of order and asked Abaribe to formally move his motion.
Invoking Order 72(1), Abaribe called for a division on Clause 60(3), specifically objecting to the provision that permits manual transmission of results where electronic transmission fails. He sought the removal of the proviso allowing manual transmission in cases of network disruption.
During voting, Akpabio directed senators supporting the proviso to stand, followed by those opposed. Fifteen opposition senators voted against the clause, while 55 senators voted in favour, thereby retaining the proviso.
Clause-by-Clause Review
Earlier, Senate proceedings were briefly delayed as lawmakers commenced clause-by-clause consideration of the bill after a motion to rescind earlier amendments was seconded. The chamber then dissolved into the Committee of the Whole for detailed reconsideration.
As Akpabio called out each clause for deliberation, tensions resurfaced at Clause 60 when Abaribe raised a point of order, prompting consultations among senators and heightened discussions on the floor.
The plenary later moved into a closed-door session before reconvening to conclude deliberations on the bill, which has now been signed into law.
