Nigeria's president signs amended Electoral Act into law despite push back

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed into law an amended Electoral Act that critics warn may weaken safeguards ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Tinubu said the changes were intended to strengthen electoral processes and provide “greater clarity” in the conduction of polls.

But the opposition People’s Democratic Party has described the signing of the Bill as an existential threat to democracy.

Together with a cross-section of civil society, they are unhappy about the removal of a clause mandating the “real-time” electronic transmission of election results

In December, the House of Representatives passed a version of the Bill saying results should be sent in real time from polling stations to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

But the Senate rejected the clause, retaining an earlier provision that sees results transmitted first to collation centres.

It later amended its decision making electronic transmission optional, but with the caveat that it would revert to paper confirmation of results when internet connectivity failed.

Civil society groups and some opposition figures have long warned this could weaken safeguards meant to protect the transparency and credibility of elections.

The new law will be applied in the 2027 polls.