5 Things to Know About The Electoral Amendment Bill 2022

On the 25th of February 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari passed the Electoral Amendment Bill 2022 into law. Compared to the previous bills, this gives more autonomy to the electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This law will help the country improve its electoral process and restore citizens’ trust in the process. Here’s what you need to know as active citizens heading to the forthcoming general elections:

Political Neutrality of INEC Personnel

This provision grants political neutrality to INEC officials. With such a sensitive office, it only makes sense that the electoral officials be non-partisan. Even better, it is now backed by law. Any INEC personnel guilty of party affiliation is liable to be fined the sum of 5 million naira or a maximum prison term of two years. This also means that a party member or politician cannot be an INEC staff. This prevents bias and eliminates favoritism. So while at the polls, if you suspect any foul play by an official, you are well within your rights to report such behavior. 

Electronic Transmission of Results

INEC now has the authority and monopoly on deciding whether to transmit election results electronically. Compared to what was obtainable before, INEC had to work with the National Assembly and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to determine if it could transmit results electronically. The elimination of the previous ambiguity and bureaucratic procedure will help fast-track decision-making for the electoral body. This will also enable citizens to monitor result collation in real-time through the media. 

Electronic Accreditation of Voters Legalized

The electoral bill now permits INEC to accredit voters using whatever technologies they deem fit. The most prominent and already sampled device is smart card readers. This improves the fluidity of accreditation and eliminates impersonation.

Inclusion of Persons With Disability

This provision mandates INEC to create an enabling environment for vulnerable people, persons with disabilities, and special needs. This way, there’s no limitation for vulnerable people to exercise their rights. As a community-based organization that works daily with vulnerable and marginalized communities, we understand the importance of this provision in creating a truly inclusive society. 

Overvoting Redefined

There have been cases of having more votes in a polling unit than the accredited number of voters in that center. This has often been exploited to manipulate the results in previous elections. This provision now makes the deciding factor for determining election results in a polling unit the total numbers of accredited voters against the total number of votes, effectively eliminating manipulation and results doctoring. 

On this premise, we would like to encourage the general populace to get their PVCs and be prepared to exercise their franchise. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Your vote is your tool to enshrine good governance and make your voice heard. 

SSDO will continue to be a voice for advocacy, good governance, and a credible electoral process.