By Erewunmi Peace

The House of Representatives has approved key amendments to the Electoral Act that mandate real‑time electronic transmission of election results and introduce stiffer penalties for false declarations and other electoral offences, aiming to strengthen transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s electoral process.

During a clause‑by‑clause consideration of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025, lawmakers voted to require presiding officers to electronically transmit results from polling units directly to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal immediately after results are recorded, alongside the traditional physical collation of results. The measure seeks to reduce delays, curb manipulation, and restore public confidence in election outcomes.

In addition to the transmission mandate, the House approved harsher penalties for misconduct related to election results, including:

Up to five years’ imprisonment for presiding officers found guilty of announcing false results.

Mandatory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) or equivalent technology for voter verification in all polling units.

Further reforms under consideration include changes to campaign finance limits and submission timelines for political party candidate lists, reflecting broader efforts by the National Assembly to overhaul Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of upcoming elections.

The amended provisions now await concurrence by the Senate and presidential assent before becoming law.