Tinubu Signs 2026 Electoral Bill: E-Voting Clash Heats Up Ahead of 2027 Polls

Linda Ike

President Bola Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026 into law Wednesday evening at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, with top National Assembly leaders present.

Lawmakers had passed it a day earlier, just after INEC released the 2027 election timetable, kickstarting nationwide political jockeying.

The bill addresses hot-button issues like electronic transmission of results, reigniting fierce debates.

Civic groups and opposition protesters recently rallied at the National Assembly, demanding real-time uploads from polling units to INEC’s database to prevent tampering and boost transparency.

Ruling APC and allies counter that rural connectivity gaps make it unreliable, pushing for flexible manual options instead. Echoes of 2023’s portal glitches and irregularity claims linger large.

INEC’s schedule sets presidential and National Assembly polls for February 20, 2027, with governorship and state races on March 6. Parties now scramble to unpack the law’s impact on this high-stakes cycle.