FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe says key provisions in the amended Electoral Act 2026 are different from what was passed by the National Assembly
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| Ireti Kingibe |
Federal Capital Territory Senator Ireti Kingibe, has openly alleged that key provisions in the Nigeria's amended Electoral Act 2026 are different from what was worked on by the legislature affirming that every aspect of the electoral amendment bill was turned upside down.
Kingibe while speaking to journalists at the National Assembly on Monday said the version of the bill transmitted for presidential assent contains changes that were never debated or approved by lawmakers, particularly on ballot paper security and results transmission. She said the electoral reform committee and the Senate Committee on INEC did painstaking work. What we have now deviates from that original document,
The provision on ballot paper security features, serial numbering, and real-time transmission safeguards were watered down. This is not what we passed.
Kingibe who defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from the main opposition Labour Party (LP), did not specify who altered the document but called for an investigation into the harmonization and clean copy process between the National Assembly and the Executive. She warned that the changes could undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.
The Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 seeks to build on the 2022 Act by introducing stricter timelines for pre-election cases, biometric accreditation safeguards, and enhanced penalties for vote buying.
One contested clause reportedly weakened the mandatory electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, making it subject to network availability without clear fallback procedures.
|
| Ireti Kingibe |
Federal Capital Territory Senator Ireti Kingibe, has openly alleged that key provisions in the Nigeria's amended Electoral Act 2026 are different from what was worked on by the legislature affirming that every aspect of the electoral amendment bill was turned upside down.
Kingibe while speaking to journalists at the National Assembly on Monday said the version of the bill transmitted for presidential assent contains changes that were never debated or approved by lawmakers, particularly on ballot paper security and results transmission. She said the electoral reform committee and the Senate Committee on INEC did painstaking work. What we have now deviates from that original document,
The provision on ballot paper security features, serial numbering, and real-time transmission safeguards were watered down. This is not what we passed.
Kingibe who defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from the main opposition Labour Party (LP), did not specify who altered the document but called for an investigation into the harmonization and clean copy process between the National Assembly and the Executive. She warned that the changes could undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.
The Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 seeks to build on the 2022 Act by introducing stricter timelines for pre-election cases, biometric accreditation safeguards, and enhanced penalties for vote buying.
One contested clause reportedly weakened the mandatory electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, making it subject to network availability without clear fallback procedures.
