TMSG Backs President’s Quick Assent to 2026 Electoral Act
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TMSG Backs President’s Quick Assent to 2026 Electoral Act
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has commended President Bola Tinubu for signing the Electoral Act 2026 within 24 hours of its passage by the National Assembly, describing the move as a demonstration of political will to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG expressed confidence that the swift assent would enable the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement the provisions of the amended law ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group said, “We see the decision by President Tinubu to sign the reworked 2022 Electoral Act into law within a few hours of its passage as a demonstration of political will to ensure an improved electoral process which the new law envisages.”
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TMSG noted that while the electronic transmission of election results had generated debate, the law’s codification of the system was a step in the right direction.
“For the first time, the country’s electoral law recognises the use of the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the result viewing portal, IREV, which were just INEC guidelines in 2023,” the statement said.
It added that the Act provides for a fallback mechanism, allowing manual transmission of Form EC8A result sheets in case of technology failure.
“We agree with the President that no matter how sophisticated a process is, the onus lies on those manning it to show good faith and ensure that the votes of the people count,” TMSG said.
The group outlined other provisions of the Act aimed at improving electoral integrity, including the streamlining of party primaries into either consensus or direct primaries, early release of funds to INEC, tighter control of over-voting, and stiffer sanctions for electoral offences, including falsification of results.
It also welcomed the reduction of the mandatory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days, a move it said would allow INEC to adjust the 2027 election timetable to avoid clashing with Ramadan.
TMSG further observed that signing the bill ahead of the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections signalled the President’s commitment to immediate implementation of the law, particularly the electronic transmission of results.
The group therefore urged the current INEC management to leverage the new law to conduct credible, transparent, and widely acceptable elections.
