Senator Ireti Kingibe (ADC, FCT) has launched a scathing critique of the 10th National Assembly, declaring that “every aspect of the Electoral Act was turned upside down” by their recent amendment bill. The senator argued that the changes weaken the electoral process and represent a betrayal of public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kingibe’s remarks come in the wake of the Senate’s passage of the *Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026* earlier this year . Her accusation that the law has been subverted aligns with widespread condemnations from civil society organizations (CSOs), the opposition, and legal experts who argue that the amendments strip the 2022 Act of its progressive essence .
Senator Kingibe specifically appeared to rally against several critical changes made by the federal lawmakers:
Rejection of Real-Time Electronic Transmission: The Senate refused to make electronic transmission of results mandatory for presiding officers . Critics argue this preserves a loophole for manipulation .
Reduction of Election Notice Period: The timeline for INEC to publish election notices was drastically reduced from 360 days to 180 days, a move CSOs warn could create significant logistical nightmares .
Scrapping of e-Voter Identification: The Senate rejected the use of electronically generated voter identification slips, insisting on the physical Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as the only mode of identification .
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied that the National Assembly rejected electronic transmission. He argued that the chamber merely retained the existing provision in the principal Act and has not moved the country backward . However, governance experts, including Yiaga Africa’s Samson Itodo, have labeled the Senate’s action a “betrayal of public trust” and a deliberate attempt to weaken safeguards for credible elections .
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