Senate passes Electoral Bill after approval of 155 clauses

The Senate has passed the Electoral Bill following a clause-by-clause consideration and approval of 155 clauses, introducing key amendments while retaining most of the provisions as originally proposed.

One of the major changes approved by the lawmakers is the reduction of the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the notice of election. The period was cut from 360 days to 180 days ahead of an election, a move aimed at streamlining the electoral process.

However, the Senate rejected the proposal for real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. Instead, it retained the existing provision in Clause 60 of the 2022 Electoral Act, which allows election results to be transmitted in a manner prescribed by INEC.

In addition, the Senate upheld the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as the sole means of voter accreditation. Lawmakers rejected proposals under Clause 47 that sought to introduce electronic or alternative forms of voter identification.

The passage of the bill marks a significant step in Nigeria’s ongoing electoral reforms, with the approved amendments expected to shape the conduct of future elections once the bill completes the legislative process.