Tinubu Signs Electoral Bill into Law

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026, harmonised by the National Assembly on Tuesday, has been signed into law.

The new law was assented to by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday in Abuja in the presence of some principal officers of the federal parliament.

Present were the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas; his deputy, Mr Benjamin Kalu; as well as the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, among others.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday night quoted his boss as saying the electoral act amendments are not about politics, but about a process.

“After every election cycle, we owe Nigerians an honest look at what worked and what must work better. That is how serious democracies behave, and our laws must grow with experience.

“Today, I signed the final amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act into law.

“These amendments are not about politics. They are about process. They are about closing gaps, strengthening procedures, and providing greater clarity to those who conduct and participate in our elections.

“When citizens walk into a polling unit, they must do so with confidence. When results are declared, they must be trusted. That confidence is built deliberately, and not by chance.

“I sincerely thank the National Assembly for its cooperation and sense of national responsibility in bringing this process to a successful conclusion. Our responsibility remains to keep improving the system so that the people’s will is expressed clearly, peacefully, and credibly.

“The work of strengthening our democracy continues, and we shall not relent,” he stated.

The new law generated controversies over the refusal of the lawmakers to accept the electronic transmission of election results into a server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).