Tinubu to sign amended electoral bill this month

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to sign the amended Electoral Act into law before the end of February, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said.

Akpabio made this known on Tuesday during an emergency plenary session of the Senate, where lawmakers set up a conference committee to harmonise differences between the Senate and House of Representatives’ versions of the bill.

“I believe that if you are able to conclude within the next few days or one week, the President should be able to sign this amended Electoral Bill into an Act of Parliament within this month of February,” Akpabio told his colleagues.

The Senate President said the 12-member committee would work closely with the House of Representatives to reconcile both versions of the legislation, stressing that the assignment must be treated with urgency.

“When you meet, you should recognise that this is a matter of urgency,” he said, noting that the committee’s expansion followed consultations with the leadership to ensure alignment with the House.

The emergency session followed public backlash over amendments made to the Electoral Act, particularly the Senate’s initial rejection of real-time electronic transmission of election results as proposed in Clause 60(3).

While the Senate last week retained provisions of the 2022 Act allowing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the mode of result transmission, opposition parties criticised the move, warning it could weaken Nigeria’s democratic process. The decision also sparked protests at the National Assembly.

In response, the Senate on Tuesday reversed its position and approved electronic transmission of election results, though without mandating real-time transmission. It further resolved that in cases where internet connectivity fails, Form EC8A would serve as the primary document for result collation.