The Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 is a profound disappointment and a clear betrayal of public trust. At the very moment Nigerians expected forward-looking reform, the Akpabio-led Senate chose to turn back the clock, prioritising convenience over credibility and politics over people.
Instead of fixing the failures laid bare by the 2023 general elections, the Senate has recycled and reinforced the same weaknesses that damaged confidence in our democracy. This amendment does not move Nigeria forward. It drags the electoral process backwards and shields it from scrutiny.
Public trust in elections is already fragile. Nigerians have been clear about what they want: transparency, certainty, and accountability. Rather than respond to this demand, the Senate has opted for regression. This bill delivers none of what citizens asked for and takes the country further away from credible elections.
By rejecting mandatory electronic transmission of results, the Senate has returned transparency to discretion. This is the same discretion that produced so called “technical glitches” and fuelled disputes and manipulation after the 2023 elections. When transparency is optional, fraud remains possible. A reform that walks away from certainty is not reform at all. It is a step backwards.
The reduction of the Notice of Election period from 360 days to 180 days further undermines preparedness. It reintroduces the conditions for rushed timelines, logistical failures, late materials, and voter disenfranchisement. Nigerians have lived through this chaos before. Choosing it again is deliberate regression.
Even more troubling is the Senate’s decision to weaken penalties for vote buying. A ₦5 million fine in an electoral system awash with billions of naira is more of a fee than a deterrent. By lowering the cost of electoral malpractice, the 10th Senate has normalised it and placed democracy on sale.
The removal of Clause 142, which would have simplified how evidence is presented in election petitions, makes it harder for citizens to challenge non-compliance. It preserves an outdated system where justice is delayed by technicalities and endless oral testimony instead of being decided by clear documentary proof. This move strengthens impunity and weakens accountability.
The Senate had enough time to deliver meaningful, future-oriented reform ahead of the 2027 elections. What it produced instead is a last minute bill that offers no new protection to voters and no real assurance of credible elections. This is not progress. It is regression disguised as an amendment.
We call on the Conference Committee members to reject this version during harmonisation. Nigeria does not need cosmetic changes that take us backwards. It needs real reform that protects votes, enforces accountability, and restores trust in the electoral process.
To Nigerians, this vote matters. Your representatives in the Senate have chosen to keep the system vulnerable, discretionary, and easy to manipulate. If this bill is allowed to stand, the credibility of the 2027 elections will be compromised before a single ballot is cast.
Enough of the pretence. Nigeria cannot afford to move backwards. Pass an Electoral Act that serves the people, or stop wasting public funds on legislation that changes nothing.