Tinubu Signs New Electoral Act 2026 Amid Protests

On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu signed the new Electoral Act 2026 into law at the State House in Abuja, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria's electoral reform process. This act repeals and re-enacts the previous Electoral Act 2022, following its passage by the National Assembly.

The law retains the provision for electronic transmission of election results, complemented by manual collation as a safeguard for the integrity of the electoral process. Present at the signing were key government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abba, and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila.

President Tinubu emphasized that this reform is a crucial step towards strengthening democracy and restoring public confidence in Nigeria's electoral system. He clarified that while technology will play a key role, human oversight will remain central to the process, ensuring that final results are announced by humans rather than computers.

The new act aims to enhance transparency, reduce disputes, and improve the credibility of elections across Nigeria.