The Senate has passed a bill amending key provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act, instituting notable changes in electoral regulations. Among the major amendments is the reduction of the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish election notices from 360 days to 180 days.
In its clause-by-clause scrutiny, the Senate rejected the proposal for real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. Instead, it upheld the existing provision in Clause 60 of the 2022 Electoral Act, allowing the transmission of results in a manner prescribed by INEC.
Furthermore, the Senate retained the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as the sole means of voter accreditation, dismissing proposals to adopt electronic or alternative forms of identification as outlined in Clause 47.
These amendments signal the Senate’s commitment to preserving the existing electoral framework while streamlining certain procedural timelines ahead of future elections.
