YERP-Naija Consortium faults Senate over Electoral Act amendment

The Youth-led Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija) Consortium has expressed disappointment over the Senate’s decision to reject a proposed amendment to the Electoral Act that would have made real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the consortium said the decision was taken during plenary on February 4, 2026, when the Senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill at third reading but declined to adopt an amendment earlier approved by the House of Representatives in December 2025.

The rejected provision sought to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit election results directly from polling units immediately after voting and collation.

According to the consortium, the Senate’s action means that the existing legal framework remains in place, allowing INEC to determine the mode of transmission through administrative guidelines rather than a clear statutory obligation.

The group warned that leaving electronic transmission to administrative discretion weakens statutory certainty and undermines transparency safeguards needed to rebuild public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“For many Nigerians, particularly young voters, mandatory electronic transmission represented a practical and visible pathway toward restoring trust in electoral outcomes,” the statement noted.

The consortium also drew attention to the broader timeline for electoral reforms, stressing that delays or diluted amendments could negatively affect preparations for the 2027 general elections.

It observed that while the amendment process has spanned more than two years, constitutional and electoral reforms with direct implications for elections have yet to gain sufficient traction, raising concerns about effective implementation.

“With time running out ahead of the 2027 general elections, prolonged delays or watered-down reforms risk weakening public confidence and limiting their impact,” the group said, adding that electoral laws must be passed early enough to be meaningfully applied.

Despite its concerns, YERP-Naija said the Senate’s decision does not foreclose further action on the matter, pointing to the forthcoming harmonisation process between the Senate and the House of Representatives as an opportunity for reconsideration.

The consortium urged the conference committee to reconcile differences between both chambers and align the final legislation with stakeholder expectations, especially the demands of young Nigerians.

It further called on citizens, civil society organisations, labour unions, professional bodies, youth groups and the media to actively engage the Senate leadership and lawmakers to reverse the decision in the interest of democratic integrity.

“Nigeria stands at a defining moment in its democratic journey,” the statement said, noting that decisions taken during the current reform cycle would shape electoral credibility, political stability and public trust for years to come.

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The statement was jointly signed by Bukola Idowu, Executive Director, Kimpact Development Initiative and YERP-Naija National Coordination and North Central Partner; Nonso Orakwe, Executive Director, Catch Them Young Community Initiative and YERP-Naija South East Partner; Zigwai Ayuba, Executive Director, J-DEV Foundation and YERP-Naija North-West Partner.

Others are Abimbola Aladejare Salako, Executive Director, The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative and YERP-Naija South-West Partner; Israel Orekha, Connected Advocacy and YERP-Naija South-South Partner; and Ashraf Tukur, Executive Director, Child Protection and Peer Learning Initiative and YERP-Naija North-East Partner.