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Nigerian Senate Passes Controversial Electoral Act Amendment Bill Amid Heated Debate

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The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, passed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026, following intense deliberations and a dramatic division vote on the contentious issue of electronic transmission of election results.

The bill, which seeks to repeal and re-enact the existing Electoral Act to address perceived gaps ahead of the 2027 general elections, was approved after a rowdy plenary session presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Key amendments include provisions allowing both electronic and manual transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) IReV portal, with manual transmission permitted as a fallback in cases of network failure or technical issues.

The most heated contention centered on Clause 60(3), which includes a proviso retaining the option for manual transmission. Opposition senators, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, demanded a division vote under Senate rules. In the tally, 55 senators voted in favor of retaining the proviso, while 15 opposed it primarily from opposition benches.

The passage came after the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion to reverse an earlier consideration and recommit the bill to the Committee of the Whole for fresh review.

Debates also covered adjustments to election timelines, including a reduction in the mandatory notice period for elections to avoid overlapping with the 2027 Ramadan period, as well as other legal and procedural clarifications.

The House of Representatives has since aligned with the Senate’s position on key issues, including the dual transmission mechanism and the scrapping of indirect party primaries in some contexts, passing a harmonized version amid protests and walkouts in the lower chamber.

Critics, including opposition parties like the PDP, have described the retention of manual transmission options as a “treacherous betrayal” of Nigerians’ demand for fully electronic processes to enhance transparency and reduce electoral malpractices. Supporters argue the hybrid approach provides necessary flexibility in areas with poor network coverage.

The harmonized bill now awaits concurrence between both chambers (if not already fully aligned) before transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

The amendments aim to strengthen preparations for the 2027 polls, though they have sparked widespread debate on the future of electoral integrity in Nigeria.

The development follows earlier versions passed by the House in December 2025 and the Senate’s initial considerations earlier this month.

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Politics

I will concede defeat if 2027 election is credible — Obi

However, Obi maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, saying those who conducted the poll knew what happened.

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The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has declared that he will concede defeat in the 2027 presidential election if the poll is free, fair and credible.

Obi stated this in an interview aired on Arise TV on Thursday, saying he would respect the will of Nigerians if they chose another candidate.

“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will because it’s an election. It’s the people that would say who they want to serve, and I will respect the will of the people; that’s democracy,” he said.

However, Obi maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, saying those who conducted the poll knew what happened.

“I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened,” he said.

Fielding question on what about “turn-by-turn” presidency, Obi said elections should not be determined by tribe or religion.

“Election should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria. I have the competence; I have been all over the world studying what it takes to be president of a country, and I know what I can do to turn around this country in the right direction.”

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Trump promises $5,000 ‘dividend’ to U.S. citizens if Republicans win midterms

It is estimated that the total proposed “Trump dividend” payout would cost more than $1 trillion — raising questions about how such an expense would be funded and its impact on fiscal strain facing the Federal budget.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has promised every adult American citizen a $5,000 “dividend” if the Republicans are victorious at the upcoming midterm elections.

Americans will vote in the midterms in early November, with the Democrats currently projected to win control of the House of Representatives.

Such a result would likely create barriers to Trump’s legislative agenda and send a signal about public opinion on the president’s policy mix throughout his second presidential term.

“Here is my promise: if the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them… because of our tremendous strength and success economically, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” he told a crowd at the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas.

“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” he added.

It is estimated that the total proposed “Trump dividend” payout would cost more than $1 trillion — raising questions about how such an expense would be funded and its impact on fiscal strain facing the Federal budget.

The potential payout compares to the $1.27 trillion the U.S.

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Benue Politician,Terhemba Shija Vows To Bring Back Home Over 900,000 in IDP Camps

Shija, while describing IDP camps as ranching human beings, said, ” First of all, I have to rescue them from this situation. They have to go back to their land. They have to resume their farming. They have to resume their normal life.

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The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Benue State, Prof. Terhemba Shija, promises to reset the state if he wins the 2027 governorship election.

Shija gave the assurance during an appearance on ARISE News on Wednesday, declaring unacceptable – 900,000 people in Benue State currently living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.

Benue State has an official census population of 4,253,641 from 2006, with recent projections estimating the population to be over 6 million people.

Shija, while describing IDP camps as ranching human beings, said “First of all, I have to rescue them from this situation. They have to go back to their land. They have to resume their farming. They have to resume their normal life. We can’t continue normalising what is happening. And once you rescue them, then you set a programme for restructuring. You make sure that Benue is reset afresh.”

“As it is now, this state is in a state of disrepair. The state is no longer in the hands of the owners of the states. Most of over 900,000 people are living in IDP camps. You should know that Benue state is an agrarian state,”he said.

He emphasised “70% of the people of Benue are farmers. They can’t farm. Their land has been taken over by invaders.

Shija, blames the situation on “Herdsmen have taken over Benue land. And these people are living in IDP camps. Now the government has intended to introduce ranching. They have ended up ranching human beings. Human beings are now in IDP camps. And they are at the mercy of people in government.”

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