Tinubu to sign amended Electoral Act this month Akpabio
President Bola Tinubu is expected to assent to the amended Electoral Act before the end of February 2026, according to Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio made the announcement during an emergency plenary session of the National Assembly, where lawmakers approved the constitution of a 12-member conference committee charged with harmonising differences between the Senate’s version of the bill and that passed earlier by the House of Representatives. Akpabio said that once the two versions are reconciled and returned to the National Assembly, it is anticipated that the harmonised bill will be submitted promptly to the President for assent, allowing Tinubu to sign it into law within the month.
The move comes amid significant public debate and backlash over some of the proposed amendments, particularly clauses on the electronic transmission of election results and other provisions critics say could affect the transparency of future elections. Opposition groups and civil society organisations have warned that contentious changes could undermine public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections. In response to these concerns and in an effort to move the process forward urgently, the Senate leadership emphasised the need for a swift conclusion to the harmonisation exercise so that the bill can be presented to the President this month.
The conference committee, which includes lawmakers from both chambers, will meet urgently to reconcile divergent positions on key clauses before sending the harmonised bill back to the National Assembly for final readings. Akpabio said the timetable is tight but achievable, and that upon conclusion, President Tinubu is expected to sign the amended Electoral Act into law within February.
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