Akpabio: New Electoral Act Meets Nigerians' Aspirations

Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, expressed satisfaction with the recently signed Electoral Act, stating that it meets the aspirations of Nigerians rather than catering to a few dissenters. During a press briefing at the State House, Akpabio highlighted that the National Assembly worked diligently to ensure the law reflects the unique Nigerian context.

He assured that the new law guarantees greater transparency and fairness in future elections, emphasizing that every vote cast will be accurately counted. Key provisions of the amended act include the formal recognition of a bimodal voter accreditation system and the electronic transmission of results, even in areas with poor network coverage.

This marks the first time since Nigeria's independence in 1960 that electronic transmission of results has been legally recognized. Additionally, the law empowers political party members to vote directly for their preferred candidates during primaries, rather than leaving decisions to delegates, and mandates fresh elections for candidates disqualified by the courts to prevent scenarios where candidates win with significantly lower votes.