Abuja, Nigeria – Speak Out Africa Initiative (SOAI), a pan-African pro-democracy and civic accountability organization, strongly condemns the recent actions of the Nigerian Senate rejecting critical provisions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026.
The rejected provisions include the mandatory electronic transmission of election results directly from polling units, the admissibility of electronically transmitted results in courts of law, access to electronic voter cards via the INEC portal, and the compression of electoral timelines.
The decision, taken on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, represents a deliberate rollback of democratic safeguards and an attempt to weaken transparency and credibility ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
SOAI describes this action as electoral sabotage rather than reform. By rejecting electronic transmission of results, the Senate has chosen secrecy over transparency and weakened public trust in the electoral process.
Equally concerning is the insistence on the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as the sole means of voter accreditation despite ongoing distribution challenges, a move that risks disenfranchising millions of eligible voters.
The compression of electoral timelines — reducing election notice from 360 to 180 days and shrinking the candidate publication window from 150 to 60 days — will overstretch INEC, increase litigation, and undermine election credibility.
SOAI further condemns the removal of accountability provisions and the refusal to impose stiffer penalties for electoral offences, describing it as a dangerous signal that emboldens impunity.
SOAI Calls for:
- Immediate reversal of the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of results
- Full harmonization with the progressive provisions passed by the House of Representatives
- Restoration of realistic electoral timelines
- Stronger penalties for electoral offences
SOAI calls on Nigerians, civil society organizations, the media, and the international community to remain vigilant and peacefully resist actions that threaten democracy.
The credibility of the 2027 elections depends on it. Democracy is non-negotiable.
📄 Press Statement:
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Signed:
Kenneth Eze
Lead Director
Speak Out Africa Initiative (SOAI)
Abuja, Nigeria
February 05, 2026
#NigeriaDecides2027 #ElectronicTransmissionOfResultsIsWhatWeWant
#CredibleElectionIsNonNegotiable #NoToSystemicRigging
