2027: 'Democracy On Sale, Drags Nigeria Backward'; Group Slams Senate’s Electoral Act Amendment Bill
- AdvoKC Foundation has condemned the Senate after it passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026
- The organisation flagged risks to transparency, warning that the bill leaves electronic transmission of results optional
- The civil society also criticised weakened penalties and shorter timelines, saying the bill undermines public trust ahead of 2027
A leading civil society organisation, AdvoKC Foundation, has condemned the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, describing it as a betrayal of public trust and a serious setback for democratic reform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Source: Facebook
The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday, February 4, which seeks to amend Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of the 2027 general elections. Lawmakers’ approval comes amid growing debates over transparency, electoral timelines, and mechanisms for ensuring credible polls.
In a statement sent to Legit.ng and signed by Luqman Adamu, Communications Manager, AdvoKC Foundation, the organisation conveyed its concerns. It said the version of the bill approved by the Senate, led by President Godswill Akpabio, fails to address the glaring weaknesses exposed in Nigeria’s electoral system during the 2023 elections and threatens to weaken transparency and credibility in future polls.
“The Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 is a profound disappointment and a clear betrayal of public trust,” the foundation said, adding that lawmakers had chosen “convenience over credibility and politics over people.”
"Public trust in elections is already fragile. Nigerians have been clear about what they want: transparency, certainty, and accountability. Rather than respond to this demand, the Senate has opted for regression"
Why AdvoKC is concerned about the amendment bill
At the centre of AdvoKC’s outrage is the Senate's decision to decline a reform for the electronic transmission of election results from polling units, a reform widely championed by civil society groups and opposition parties as key to boosting transparency and reducing manipulation.
The controversy around electronic transmission stems from the Senate’s handling of Clause 60(3) of the amendment bill, which concerns how results are relayed from polling units to national collation systems.
Source: Twitter
Reports indicate that lawmakers rejected an amendment that would have compelled real-time electronic uploads of results to INEC’s results portal, leaving the mode of transmission at the discretion of the electoral commission rather than as a statutory requirement.
In addition to electronic transmission concerns, AdvoKC flagged several other contentious elements in the bill, including the reduction of the notice period for election timelines, weaker penalties for vote buying, and the removal of streamlined evidence requirements in election petitions, moves it said would erode accountability and increase opportunities for malpractice.
"Even more troubling is the Senate’s decision to weaken penalties for vote buying. A ₦5 million fine in an electoral system awash with billions of naira is more of a fee than a deterrent. By lowering the cost of electoral malpractice, the 10th Senate has normalised it and placed democracy on sale."
"Enough of the pretence. Nigeria cannot afford to move backwards. Pass an Electoral Act that serves the people, or stop wasting public funds on legislation that change nothing," the foundation noted.
Opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have also criticised the Senate’s action, saying it could undermine public confidence and weaken democratic safeguards.
Atiku condemns Senate rejection of electronic results transmission
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar reacted strongly to the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of election results, describing it as a setback for Nigeria’s democratic process.
Atiku said the move undermines efforts to promote transparency, credibility, and public confidence in elections, noting that modernising the electoral process is crucial for reducing fraud and manipulation.
He urged the National Assembly to reconsider and adopt digital transmission as part of broader electoral reforms that will strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and ensure timely and verifiable outcomes.
Source: Legit.ng
