By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Senate has explained the key reforms in the newly-enacted Electoral Act 2026, introducing mandatory electronic transmission of results, compulsory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voters’ accreditation, and digital membership registers for political parties.
The explanation was contained in a statement issued on Sunday, February 22, by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, through his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs.
Bamidele said the legislation is the outcome of two years of consultations with key stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), civil society organisations, and development partners, in a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 general election.
Bamidele stressed that the law reflects a national consensus, adding that inputs from partners were incorporated before the bill was transmitted for presidential assent.
He said, “The making of the new regime is a collective work that involves nearly all critical stakeholders.”
The Senate Leader noted that the Electoral Act 2026 introduces several structural and technological changes. The Act establishes financial autonomy and mandates the release of election funds at least six months before polls; and mandatory BVAS accreditation, which requires presiding officers to use BVAS or other approved technology to verify voters.
Others are electronic transmission of results, polling unit results must be transmitted electronically to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), with penalties for non-compliance; and digital party registers, mandating political parties to maintain and submit verified digital membership registers to INEC 21 days before primaries.
According to Bamidele, the law introduces stricter sanctions to curb electoral malpractice including: two-year jail term for Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) who withhold vital documents; six months’ imprisonment or N500,000 fine for presiding officers who frustrate electronic transmission of results; up to two years’ imprisonment or fines between N500,000 and N2 million for vote buying, impersonation, and result manipulation; and N10 million fine for political parties that fail to submit accurate audited returns.
He further said the Act phases out indirect primaries, allowing only direct and consensus methods to broaden participation and reduce delegate inducement.
According to the senator, the campaign spending limits in the amended Act have also been revised from N5 billion to N10 billion for the presidential, from N1 billion to N3 billion for the governorship, from N100 million to N500 million for the Senate, and from N70 million to N250 million for the House of Representatives.
He further added that the campaign spending limits for the House of Assembly have been revised from N30 million to N100 million, from N30 million to N60 million for the Area Council, and from N5 million to N10 million for the councillorship poll.
The lawmaker noted that the legislation introduces measures to improve inclusivity, including queue separation where cultural norms require it and support mechanisms for visually impaired voters.
Bamidele said the reforms are designed to enhance transparency, institutional independence, and technological integration in election management.
