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NASS Highlights Key Reforms in 2026 Electoral Act
The National Assembly, yesterday, highlighted the creation of a dedicated fund for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), mandatory electronic transmission of election results and creation of a digital membership register by all political parties, among others, as part of key reforms in the Electoral Act, 2026.
The new Electoral Law according to the National Assembly equally mandates INEC to deploy bimodal voters verification system (BVAS) for voters accreditation; recommend two-year jail imprisonment for the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) that withholds vital documents.
The new Electoral Act also also.mamfates a Resident Electoral Commissioner to establish an electronic register of voters and approved an upward review of campaign funds for different elective offices.
Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele provided the key highlights of the new regime in a statement released by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Sunday, revealing how the legislative arm engaged diverse stakeholders for two years before its eventual enactment.
The National Assembly had harmonised different versions of the Electoral Bill 2026 produced by its two Chambers, especially with respect to Clause 60(3); passed the Bill into law and transmitted it to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent in order to avoid constitutional crisis that might arise in the preparation of the 2027 general election.
The president had subsequently signed the Electoral Bill 2026 into law after 24 hours of its enactment, thereby completing the two-year process of recrafting the new regime expected to shape the next elections positively.
Although the civil society organisations (CSOs) had questioned the speed at which the Electoral Bill 2026 was signed into law, the President observed that the essence of democracy was designed to promote conversations aimed at deepening national development, nation-building and stability of the federation.
Contrary to insinuations in some quarters, Bamidele explained how the National Assembly sustainably engaged the CSOs, INEC, Office of the Attorney-General of Federation (OAGF) and development partners, among others, for two consecutive years before the new electoral regime came into force.
He said the making of the new regime “is a collective work that involves nearly all critical stakeholders. The National Assembly worked with such different stakeholders as OAGF, CSOs, INEC and our development partners, among others, before we eventually completed the process.
“As we were making progress, the stakeholders too were making their input, and all the inputs were incorporated in the Act. 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.”
Consequently, Bamidele explained the potential of the new electoral governance framework “to obviously strengthen institutional independence; enhance transparency in election management; improve technological integration and reinforce accountability mechanisms in the country’s election management system.
Under Section 3, for instance, the senate leader pointed out that the new legislation established a dedicated fund for the INEC, which according to him, would guarantee the financial autonomy, operational stability and administrative continuity of the commission.
With this provision alone, according to Bamidele, INEC will operate with greater independence and quicker corrective powers. The section requires that election funds be released earlier, at least six months before the general election and expands INEC’s powers to review questionable result declarations made under duress or procedural violations
He also cited Section 47 of the Electoral Act, which mandated all presiding officers “to use BVAS or any other technological device that may be prescribed by the Commission, for the accreditation of voters, to verify, confirm or authenticate the particulars of the intending voter in the manner prescribed by the Commission.”
While Section 60(3) mandates the electronic transmission of election results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), he revealed that Section 60(6) recommended “a six-month imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 or both against any presiding officer, who willfully frustrates the electronic transmission of election result.
“This provision is consistent with the public demands. It also stipulates another measure of consequence if any presiding officer refuses to electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to IREV. We must equally understand that IREV is not a collation platform. It was designed to enhance transparency in our electoral process. An electronic collating system is a project that requires its own planning.”
Nevertheless, the Senate Leader clarified that the new electoral governance framework conditionally permitted the resort to Form EC8A to transmit election results as prescribed by the INEC provided that the electronic transmission of election results failed due to communication failure,
He also pointed out Section 72(2), which recommended that a certified true copy of the order of the court “shall be sufficient for the purpose of swearing-in any candidate declared as the winner of an election by the court where that the INEC fails, refuses, or neglects to issue the certificate of return.”
Section 74(1) of the Electoral Act, according to Bamidele, specifically mandates the REC to release the certified true copy of any document within 24 hours after payment has been made. The failure to comply will attract an imprisonment of a minimum term of two years without an option of fine.
Unlike the 2022 Electoral Act that had been repealed, Bamidele explained that the new regime only provided for direct and consensus primaries under Section 84 (1-2) as means of electing candidates for elective offence, thereby phasing out indirect primaries to enable broader party members to participate in the process and reduce the use of money to compromise party delegates.
But Section 77 (1-7), according to him, stipulates stringent measures that will henceforth govern and regulate the conduct of primaries and the process of electing party candidates. The section mandates each political party to maintain a digital register of its members; issue membership cards to each of them and submit such a register to the INEC 21 days before the party primaries, congresses or conventions.
He further pointed out that a political party “shall not use any other register for party primaries, congresses and conventions than the register submitted to the INEC. Besides, any political party that fails to submit the membership register within the stipulated time shall not be eligible to field a candidate for that election. These are indeed consequential restraint measures that will deepen internal democracy and reduce the monetisation of politics in the country.”
He further explained that the new regime reviewed upward the election spending limit under Section 92(1-8) of the Electoral Act, raising the spending threshold for presidential poll from ?5 billion to ?10 billion; from ?1 billion to ?3 billion for the governorship; from ?1000 million to ?500 million for the Senate; from ?70 million to ?250 million for the House of Representatives; from ?30 million to ?100 million for the House of Assembly; from ?30 million to ?60 million for Area Council and from ?5 million to ?10 million for the councillorship poll.
Under Section 125(1-2), Bamidele explained how the new legislation stiffened measures against vote buying, impersonation, and result manipulation, recommending a two-year imprisonment for such offences or a fine ranging between ?500,000 and ?2 million or both upon conviction.
He highlighted how Section 49 mandated the presiding officer to separate the queue between men and women in any part of the country where culture did not permit it; Section 54 created support mechanism for persons with visual impairment and Section 93 (4) recommended a fine of ?10 million for a political party that failed to submit an accurate audited return within the stipulated period.
Given these reforms, the senate leader said: “The Electoral Act, 2026 represents a consolidation and refinement of the country’s electoral governance framework. In all, the Act seeks to enhance electoral credibility, reduce disputes, and strengthen democratic governance in Nigeria.
“The Act emphasises financial and operational independence of INEC; technological integration with procedural safeguards; transparency in collation and declaration; stricter penalties for electoral offences and stronger regulation of political parties.”
By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
The Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBE) has trained 1,000 newly recruited teachers with a view to raising standards in public primary and junior secondary schools in the state.
The two-day orientation and capacity building programme held in Port Harcourt introduced the teachers to civil service rules, classroom management practices, and professional conduct expected of educators in the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, told the newly recruited teachers that teaching demands more than academic qualifications, and called for discipline, diligence, and a strong commitment to service.
He described teaching as a noble profession that is central to the development of the state.
The recruitment, he said, reflects the government’s investment in children and long-term development.
“Education is the foundation of societal progress, and basic education is where that foundation is laid,” Nwagor stated.
He urged the teachers to shape the values and character of pupils during their most formative years.
He pledged continued support from the Ministry of Education through training, resources, and an environment that allows teachers to perform effectively.
Nwagor directed RSUBEB to reject transfer requests from rural to urban schools, saying the newly employed teachers have an obligation to serve where they are posted and help strengthen education in those communities.
In his opening remarks, the RSUBEB Chairman, Hon. Sam Oge, explained that the recruitment process began in 2023 under the previous board, adding that after assuming office, he consulted widely and secured Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s approval to complete the exercise.
Oge said the selection was competitive, with 1,000 candidates chosen from more than 5,000 applicants, and urged the teachers to treat the opportunity seriously and avoid lobbying for reposting.
He directed the teachers to resume at their assigned schools immediately, saying request for reposting will not be entertained.
The former RSUBEB Chairman, Ven. Dr. Fyneface Akah, who delivered the keynote address, described the orientation as the teachers’ formal entry into the civil service.
He urged them to be creative, purposeful, and open to learning on the job.
Akah stressed that teachers have a role in restoring values lost to moral decline, and urged them to model national values and see their work as a calling with lasting impact on the society.
He thanked the State Government for approving the recruitment, noting that the exercise will improve access to quality basic education across the State.
Akujobi Amadi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that no fewer than 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps will be deployed for the 2027 general elections.
The Chairman of the commission, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), made this known on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig Gen Olakunle Nafiu, at the Yakubu Gowon House, headquarters of the scheme, in Abuja.
Amupitan, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, described the meeting with the NYSC senior management team as more than a formal courtesy visit, saying it was also a mission of gratitude.
According to him, the NYSC remains a critical pillar in Nigeria’s democratic process.
He noted that corps members had participated in virtually every election cycle since 1999, stressing that, “INEC cannot conduct elections in Nigeria without the NYSC.
“As the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, I am honoured to discuss our collaborative efforts toward ensuring seamless and credible elections in Nigeria.
“You provide the heartbeat of our field operations. When we speak of election manpower, we are essentially speaking of corps members.
“They are the most dedicated, educated and patriotic election duty staff we have, and their presence at polling units brings a level of neutrality and public confidence that is irreplaceable.
“They form the backbone of our election processes, especially as ad hoc staff, whose dedication, discipline and patriotism are critical to the success of our elections,” he added.
Amupitan said institutional data from the 2023 general election showed the importance of the partnership between INEC and the NYSC.
He explained that INEC deployed about 1.2 million ad hoc staff for the 2023 elections, with over 70 per cent, nearly 850,000 personnel drawn from corps members and student volunteers.
Speaking on preparations for the 2027 elections, the INEC chairman said more than 1.4 million ad hoc staff would be engaged, with corps members making up the majority.
“For the 2027 general election, we will require 707,384 ad hoc staff for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
“The same number will be needed for the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027, making a total of 1,414,768,” he said.
He added that INEC would also require 52,446 corps members for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, as well as by-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano states.
Amupitan said corps members accounted for nearly 90 per cent of Registration Area Officers and Presiding Officers in many states during previous elections.
“These young Nigerians did not just facilitate voting; they protected the sanctity of the ballot in 176,846 polling units across some of the most difficult terrains in the country,” he said.
He further praised the corps members for their role in off-cycle elections, particularly the Anambra governorship election and the FCT Area Council polls.
According to him, their digital proficiency contributed significantly to the seamless operation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.
“In those exercises, it was the digital proficiency of corps members that ensured the seamless performance of our BVAS, proving they are the tech-savvy backbone of our modern democracy,” he added.
Amupitan acknowledged the sacrifices made by corps members during elections and assured that INEC would continue to work with the NYSC and security agencies to strengthen safety measures and welfare packages for them.
As the 2027 general election approaches, we are committed to ensuring adequate mobilisation and preparedness of NYSC members for this important national assignment,” he said.
He also noted that the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, scheduled for June 20 and August 15, respectively, alongside several by-elections, would serve as tests for innovations ahead of the 2027 elections.
Responding, Brig. Gen. Nafiu thanked INEC for its continued collaboration with the scheme.
He recalled that the Memorandum of Understanding between both organisations was signed in 2011 and had been periodically renewed.
Nafiu described corps members as credible, reliable and easily trainable manpower.
“The last batch of millennials will soon exit the scheme, leaving behind Gen Z corps members known for their digital savviness, which will benefit INEC,” he said.
He assured the commission of the NYSC’s continued support in both the 2027 general elections and upcoming off-cycle elections.
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