Why Tinubu quickly signed Electoral Act Amendment Bill – Senate Leader

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, on Sunday, explained why President Bola Tinubu assented to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 barely 24 hours after it was controversially passed by the National Assembly.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that President Tinubu recently signed the bill a day after it was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

Mr Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, said in a statement that provisions of the amendment bill were collectively drafted by members of the National Assembly, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organisations (CSOs), and development partners.

He explained that as lawmakers progressed on the bill, from first reading stage to public hearing and final passage, all relevant stakeholders were actively involved in the process.

He said there was no reason for the president to delay assent to the bill, which, according to him, incorporated inputs from key institutions, including the executive arm of government.

“It is a collective work that involves nearly all critical stakeholders. The National Assembly worked with such different stakeholders as OAGF, CSOs, INEC and our development partners, among others, before we eventually completed the process.

“As we were making progress, the stakeholders too were making their input, and all the inputs were incorporated in 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. Its outcome is not a unilateral effort of the parliament, but of Nigerians at large.”

However, Mr Bamidele’s position contrasts sharply with the stance of many civil society organisations, especially over the controversial Clause 60, which makes the electronic transmission of election results optional.

Several election-observer groups, including Yiaga Africa, Centre for Media and Society, The Kukah Center, International Press Centre, ElectHER, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, and TAF Africa, had demanded that electronic transmission of election results be made mandatory.

They argued that making it optional could create loopholes capable of undermining electoral integrity and weakening safeguards introduced in the 2022 Electoral Act.

Even after the bill was passed by the National Assembly, several Nigerians and CSOs urged President Tinubu to withhold assent unless the provision was amended to mandate electronic transmission. Nevertheless, the president signed the bill into law within hours of its passage.

Critics again questioned the urgency of the presidential assent to a bill that had generated public controversy. With the president’s signature, however, the amendment has now become law, meaning subsequent elections in Nigeria will be conducted in line with the revised provisions.

Nigeria’s electoral reform

Mr Bamidele maintained that the amended Electoral Act would strengthen electoral independence, enhance transparency in election management, improve technological integration, and promote accountability within Nigeria’s electoral system.

For instance, under Clause 3, which establishes a special fund for INEC, the senate leader said that the provision would guarantee the commission’s financial autonomy, operational stability, and administrative continuity.

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He noted that the clause will enable INEC to operate with greater independence and quicker corrective capacity. It requires that funds, whether in the form of grants, aids, or other accruals, be paid into INEC’s account by the federal government and released not later than six months before the next general election.

On Clause 47, which mandates presiding officers to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation, Mr Bamidele noted that the provision would help confirm voter authenticity and reduce irregularities.

Regarding the controversial Clause 60, he said the N500,000 fine or six-month imprisonment penalty for any presiding officer who wilfully frustrates the electronic transmission of election results would enhance transparency and accountability.

Given these changes, the senate leader explained that the amended Electoral Act seeks to enhance electoral credibility, reduce disputes, and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic governance.

“The Electoral Act 2026 represents a consolidation and refinement of the country’s electoral governance framework. In all, the Act seeks to enhance electoral credibility, reduce disputes, and strengthen democratic governance in Nigeria.

“The Act 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.