Oyefusi Breaks Down Electoral Act 2026 Ahead of Nigeria's 2027 Polls

Princess Abiodun Islamiyat Oyefusi has urged Nigerians to study the Electoral Act 2026 closely, saying voters who understand the law will be better prepared to defend their choices in the 2027 general election.

Speaking to party members and supporters, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain and Lagos governorship aspirant reviewed major sections of the law and explained where she sees progress and where she expects friction. She said the legislation contains stronger safeguards in some areas, but still leaves room for disputes in others.

Oyefusi pointed to Section 3 as one of the strongest reforms. The section gives financial autonomy to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and requires election funds to be released six months before voting. She said early and protected funding can reduce last-minute pressure from political actors and improve logistics planning nationwide.

On voter accreditation, she said Section 47 makes the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) compulsory at polling units, which should help curb impersonation and multiple voting. According to her, mandatory biometric checks could improve confidence in the process if implementation is consistent across states.

She, however, raised concern about Section 60 on result transmission. While the law directs presiding officers to upload polling unit results to INEC's Result Viewing Portal (IReV), it still permits manual submission with Form EC8A when devices fail. Oyefusi said that fallback option could become a flashpoint if not tightly monitored. She noted that Section 60(6) prescribes penalties, including up to six months in prison or a N500,000 fine, for officers who deliberately frustrate electronic transmission.

She also welcomed changes affecting post-election litigation. Under Section 74(1), Resident Electoral Commissioners are to release certified electoral documents within 24 hours after payment, and non-compliance carries a minimum two-year jail term. She said this could address long-standing complaints about delays during tribunal cases.

On enforcement of court judgments, Oyefusi cited Section 72(2), which allows certified court orders to be used for swearing-in where there is delay in issuing certificates of return. She said the measure can reduce administrative bottlenecks for lawful winners.

She further reviewed party rules in Sections 77 and 84, including compulsory digital membership registers, advance submission of registers to INEC, and the removal of indirect primaries. She said the changes may strengthen internal accountability, but parties will face higher organisational demands.

On campaign finance, she noted the new spending limits now set governorship campaigns at N3 billion and presidential campaigns at N10 billion. While she acknowledged inflation pressures, she said higher ceilings may favour wealthy contenders unless enforcement remains strict.

Oyefusi added that Section 93 requires audited election expense returns within six months, with penalties of up to N10 million for non-compliance, while Section 125 increases punishment for offences such as vote buying and result manipulation. She ended by saying an informed electorate remains central to democratic accountability in Nigeria.