By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to sign the Electoral Act, 2026, within 24 hours, describing the swift assent as the culmination of more than two years of extensive consultations and legislative work.
Bamidele said the prompt presidential approval followed exhaustive engagement between the National Assembly and critical stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organisations, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and development partners.
He spoke against the backdrop of criticisms in some quarters that the President acted too quickly after the harmonised bill was transmitted to him by the National Assembly.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, the Senate Leader insisted that the law was a product of collective national input rather than a hurried executive action.
“The National Assembly worked with such different stakeholders as the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, civil society organisations, INEC and our development partners, among others, before we eventually completed the process,” Bamidele said.
“As we were making progress, the stakeholders too were making their input, and all the inputs were incorporated in the Act.”
The Ekiti Central lawmaker said the urgency of preparations for the 2027 general election also made early assent necessary, noting that the executive was already familiar with the legislation’s content.
“In view of the time constraint we are facing now, I do not believe the Executive requires days or weeks to review it before assent since we all contributed to it. Its outcome is not a unilateral effort of the parliament, but of Nigerians at large,” he said.
The National Assembly had harmonised differences in the Senate and House versions of the Electoral Bill, particularly provisions relating to the transmission and management of election results, before transmitting the final document to the President.
With the assent, a new electoral legal framework has come into force, introducing wide-ranging reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and the independence of the electoral process.
Among the key provisions is the establishment of a dedicated fund for INEC to guarantee its financial autonomy and ensure the timely release of election funds at least 6 months before general elections.
The Act also makes electronic transmission of polling unit results mandatory, with penalties including fines and imprisonment for officials who deliberately violate the provision.
The law further mandates the compulsory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter verification, strengthens sanctions for electoral offences and introduces stricter rules to improve internal democracy within political parties.
It also abolishes indirect primaries, restricting parties to direct and consensus methods for candidate selection, while mandating the maintenance of digital membership registers.
Bamidele said the reforms were designed to improve electoral credibility, reduce post-election disputes and strengthen democratic governance.
He maintained that the President’s swift assent reflected a shared commitment by the executive, legislature and stakeholders to ensure a credible and transparent electoral process ahead of the 2027 general election.
