Tinubu Expected to Sign Electoral Act Amendment Bill

Umeh, a senator representing Anambra Central, expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will sign the Electoral Act amendment bill, which is expected to become law in 2026. He noted that the legislative process indicates Tinubu's assent is inevitable.

Umeh highlighted the controversies surrounding electronic transmission of election results, particularly referencing Section 63 of the amended law, which aims to repeal Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022. This repeal would allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transfer results without explicitly mandating electronic transmission.

Although INEC's guidelines for the 2023 general elections required electronic transmission, the law itself did not explicitly provide for it. Umeh pointed out that disputes from the 2023 elections, including claims of glitches affecting presidential results, reached the Supreme Court, which ruled that electronic transmission was not explicitly recognized in the act.

The amendment intends to provide clear statutory backing for electronic transmission to avoid future disputes, especially ahead of the 2027 general elections.