A step toward Electoral Sanity – Proponents
A Blow to the Country’s Democracy – Opponents
By: Tim Etoh
The controversy that arose during the legislation that characterized the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026, has continued even as President Bola Tinubu assented to the bill on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, to make it a law.
Immediately after the presidential assent, the vibrant Nigerian media space became awash with differing reactions from Nigerians across the country, with many drawing from various sentiments and positions ventilated during the intense debates at the legislative proceedings.
Proponents of the worked version, which rests the determination of the mode of transmitting the results of votes from polling units on the electoral umpire, INEC, say it is a step toward electoral sanity.
On the contrary, opponents described it as a blow to the country’s democracy and a piece of legislation for potential electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 elections. These groups of opposition politicians and civil society organizations denounced Mr. President’s swift assent to the bill, which they alleged is full of loopholes, against the expectations of the Nigerian people.
According to them, Nigerians deserve mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to safeguard their votes, saying it would serve as a safeguard for accountability, transparency, and a boost of public trust in our electoral system in particular and democracy in general.
