In a move to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, President Bola Tinubu has approved the 2026 Electoral Amendment.
The law addresses a major controversy: what happens when the IReV (electronic portal) fails during an election.
This is the heart of the new law. It states that INEC must try to send results electronically, but if the network fails, the original paper result (Form EC8A) signed by agents at the polling unit becomes the official source.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to have faith in the process, stating that the law was designed to prevent confusion and ensure that the "arithmetic accuracy" of the votes is protected.
The President questioned whether Nigeria is technically ready for 100% "real-time" electronic results everywhere, justifying the need for a strong manual backup.
Top leaders like Senate President Godswill Akpabio were present, noting that the bill took two years to perfect to meet the aspirations of all Nigerians.
