ELECTORAL ACT (AMENDMENT) BILL ( DIASPORA VOTING)

A Bill amends the Electoral Act to update rules for elections, including diaspora voting. It targets the Independent National Electoral Commission, political parties, and voters. This strengthens transparency and reduces opportunities for manipulation.

What Is This Bill?

The Electoral Act (Amendment Bill) 2026 is legislation that updates and refines Nigeria’s electoral framework, repealing and reenacting parts of the Electoral Act 2022 to align with current realities.

Who Does It Target?

The bill regulates how INEC conduct primaries, nominate candidates, and manage campaign financing. Beyond the political class, the electorate, the millions of Nigerian citizens eligible to vote are a crucial audience,

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

The objective of the Electoral Act (Amendment Bill) is to strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system. It seeks to enhance transparency by refining the rules governing how results are transmitted and how voters are accredited, thereby reducing opportunities for manipulation

Key Features

Clause 60: Electronic transmission of results permitted but not mandatory; manual collation allowed as backup. Adjusted election timelines and penalties for offences. Removal of tribunals’ power to declare winners directly.

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Harmonization phase between Senate and House of Representatives. Coverage: applies nationwide Beneficiaries to Date: all registered voters Funding: Federal Government budget allocations to INEC

How to Access

INEC Website: inecnigeria.org hosts official gazettes, guidelines, and updates. Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC): placng.org provides downloadable versions of the Electoral Act and amendments. LawGlobal Hub: Offers consolidated versions of Nigerian laws, including the Electoral Act.

Important Terms

Term 1- BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System): Device for biometric voter verification. ReV (INEC Result Viewing Portal): Online platform for uploading polling unit results. Term 2- Accreditation: Process of verifying eligible voters before ballot casting. Tribunal: Judicial body resolving electoral disputes. Vote-Buying: Criminalized act of exchanging money or goods for votes.

Official Resources

INEC Nigeria Website: inecnigeria.org Address: Plot 436 Zambezi Crescent, Maitama District, FCT, Abuja Phone: +234 (0) 809 189 9999 Civil Society Situation Room (PLAC) Website: https://placng.org Address: Plot 451 Gambo Jimeta Crescent, Guzape District, Abuja Phone: +234 903 299 9919, +234 909 505 0505 Link to document - Link to document

Legal Framework

The Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill operates under the Electoral Act 2022, which is the primary legislation governing elections. Constitutional authority derives from Sections 77–79 and 132–134 of the 1999 Constitution on federal elections. The amendment aligns with the Independent National Electoral Commission (Establishment) Act, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fourth Alteration), and standards from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.