The Electoral Act 2026 introduces stricter penalties, financial autonomy for INEC and mandatory electronic transmission of results, as the Senate defends the reforms against opposition criticism.
The National Assembly has introduced sweeping reforms in the Electoral Act 2026, prescribing a two-year jail term for any Resident Electoral Commissioner who withholds vital electoral documents and establishing a dedicated fund to guarantee the financial autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the 2027 general election. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the reforms followed two years of consultations despite opposition claims that certain provisions favour the ruling APC.
Bamidele stated, “The new electoral governance framework equally mandates the INEC to deploy a Bimodal Voters Accreditation System; recommend two-year jail imprisonment for the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) who withholds vital documents; establish an electronic register of voters and review campaign funds upward for different elective offices.” He added that the Act “represents a consolidation and refinement of the country’s electoral governance framework,” strengthening transparency, accountability and institutional independence.