CSO faults Senate over rejection of key proposals in electoral bill

The Youth-led Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija) Consortium has expressed disappointment over the Senate’s decision to reject a key amendment to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, warning that the move could weaken transparency and public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement on Friday, the consortium noted that while it acknowledged the Senate’s passage of the bill at third reading during plenary on February 4, it was concerned about the rejection of an amendment earlier passed by the House of Representatives in December 2025, which sought to make real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units mandatory.

The rejected provision would have compelled presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit results directly from polling units immediately after voting and collation. Instead, the Senate retained the existing framework that leaves electronic transmission to INEC’s administrative discretion.

YERP-Naija noted that although the current law permits INEC to deploy electronic transmission, the refusal to make it mandatory undermines statutory certainty and weakens transparency safeguards needed to rebuild public trust in electoral outcomes.

“For many Nigerians, particularly young voters, mandatory electronic transmission represented a practical and visible pathway toward restoring confidence in the electoral process,” the consortium stated.

The group stated that the Senate’s decision did not foreclose the possibility of reinstating the provision, noting that the forthcoming harmonisation process between the Senate and the House of Representatives offers an opportunity to align the bill with broader stakeholder expectations.

It urged members of the Conference Committee to reconcile the differences between both chambers and restore reforms that would strengthen participation and trust in the 2027 elections. The consortium also called on citizens, civil society organisations, labour unions, professional bodies, youth networks and the media to engage the Senate leadership and push for a reversal of the decision.

The consortium noted that credible elections would depend on transparent, predictable and enforceable legal standards, adding that excessive administrative discretion could perpetuate challenges observed in previous election cycles.

Signed by leaders of partner organisations across the six geopolitical zones, including Kimpact Development Initiative, J-DEV Foundation, Catch Them Young Community Initiative and Connected Advocacy, the statement noted that Nigeria was at a defining moment in its democratic journey.

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