Electoral Act Serves Nigerians, Not Just Noise-Makers – Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has expressed satisfaction with the final version of the newly signed Electoral Act, saying it aligns with the aspirations of Nigerians. Speaking to correspondents at the State House on Wednesday, following President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the bill into law, Akpabio emphasized that lawmakers worked diligently to ensure the legislation reflected the will of the people.

According to him, the Senators resisted pressure from certain political stakeholders, whom he described as “noise makers,” and carefully considered the unique dynamics of the Nigerian political environment in crafting the law. “The National Assembly is pleased that it has interpreted the intentions and desires of the majority of Nigerians, not just a few politically motivated voices. Noise is different from lawmaking,” Akpabio stated.

He assured that the amended law would enhance transparency, fairness, and accountability in future elections, ensuring that every vote cast by Nigerians truly counts. A key feature of the law is the formal recognition of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System result viewer (IReV) as a legitimate and verifiable record of polling unit results. Akpabio explained that even in areas with poor network connectivity, electronically transmitted results would eventually appear on the IReV portal, enabling citizens to detect any tampering or alterations as results move from polling units to collation centres.

For the first time since Nigeria’s independence, electronic transmission of results has been formally enshrined in law. The new legislation also allows political party members to vote directly for their preferred candidates during primaries, rather than leaving the decision to a small group of delegates. Additionally, the law now mandates a fresh election if a leading candidate is disqualified by a court, preventing scenarios where a candidate with significantly fewer votes is declared the winner by default.