By Clement Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Civil society organisations have urged the National Assembly’s conference committee on the Electoral Bill to adopt key reform provisions passed by the House of Representatives, warning that any dilution could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
According to the statement co-signed by the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), The Kukah Centre, International Press Centre (IPC), Elect Her, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, TAF Africa, Yiaga Africa, and other civil society groups, the groups called for mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of election results, approval of downloadable voter cards for missing or unissued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and the retention of existing statutory timelines for electoral activities.
Precise Post recalls that the call follows an earlier intervention on 5 February, when the organisations expressed concern over the Senate’s rejection of critical reforms, including electronic transmission of results, downloadable voter cards, and the proposed ten-year ban on offences related to the buying and selling of PVCs.
They also criticised the Senate’s move to compress electoral timelines, describing it as a threat to effective planning and transparency.
According to the groups, the differing positions of the Senate and the House of Representatives have created legal uncertainty that could weaken electoral preparedness and erode public confidence. They stressed that electoral reform goes beyond technical adjustments, describing it as central to democratic integrity and credible political transitions.
The organisations also raised alarm over what they described as confusion surrounding the Senate’s position on electronic transmission of results. Public debate, they noted, has been marked by contradictory claims about whether the Senate approved real-time transmission, merely retained the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) discretionary powers under the Electoral Act 2022, or replaced the word “transmit” with “transfer” while removing the requirement for real-time reporting. They warned that such ambiguity in electoral law is unacceptable.
On election timelines, the groups reminded INEC that Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 requires the commission to issue a notice of election at least 360 days before polling day. They argued that the ongoing amendment process does not suspend the existing law and warned that failure to release the 2027 election timetable could amount to a violation of the Act.
Using INEC’s long-standing practice of holding general elections on the third Saturday of February, the organisations said the 2027 elections are expected to take place on 20 February 2027, making 24 February 2026 the deadline for issuing the notice of election. They therefore called on INEC to immediately release the timetable and schedule of activities.
The groups also reacted to the Senate’s emergency plenary scheduled for Tuesday, 10 February 2026, urging lawmakers to use the session to clearly adopt provisions that guarantee real-time electronic transmission and collation of results, downloadable voter cards for missing or unissued PVCs, and the retention of statutory timelines for elections and candidate nominations.
In their recommendations to the conference committee, the organisations pressed for the adoption of the House of Representatives’ provision mandating real-time electronic transmission of results through a technology-neutral framework. They said this approach would promote transparency while allowing INEC flexibility in implementation.
They further cited INEC data from the 2023 elections, which showed that more than 6.2 million registered voters were disenfranchised due to uncollected PVCs. According to them, downloadable voter cards would significantly reduce voter exclusion. They also called for the retention of existing timelines—360 days for notice of elections, 180 days for submission of candidates, and 150 days for publication—to prevent logistical failures.
On election result reviews, the groups criticised proposals to limit reports solely to INEC officials, arguing that such restrictions undermine accountability. They called for the inclusion of political parties, candidates, accredited agents, and observers as eligible reporters.
The organisations urged the National Assembly to conclude the harmonisation of the Electoral Bill without delay and transmit the final version to the President within two weeks. They also called on Nigerians to demand accountability from their representatives and resist any attempt to weaken electoral safeguards ahead of the 2027 elections.
