Strat.1 Ensure the passage of the National Electoral Offences Commission Bill to confer powers of the Commission to prosecute electoral offences.
Strat.2 Amend the Electoral Act to rectify gaps observed, including vague and contradictory provisions.
Strat.3 Remove the ambiguities in the Electoral Act 2022
Strat.4 Set up a mechanism for periodic reviews of electoral laws to ensure they remain relevant and in tune with global best practices.
Specific Legislative Actions
Strat.1 The House of Representatives, as part of its electoral reform efforts, is actively pursuing the passage of the National Electoral Offences Commission Bill to establish an independent body with the authority to investigate and prosecute electoral offences.
Strat.2 The House of Representatives has initiated a process to amend the Electoral Act through legislative proposals to address identified gaps, including vague, conflicting, and ambiguous provisions that undermine the clarity and effectiveness of electoral processes.
Strat.3 The House of Representatives has commenced the process of amending the Electoral Act, 2022, specifically to remove ambiguities and inconsistencies identified during the 2023 general elections and judicial interpretations.
In February 2025, the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters held consultative meetings with election petition lawyers and other stakeholders to discuss urgent reforms in Nigeria’s electoral legal framework, highlighting the necessity to address gaps identified during the 2023 general elections.
Strat.4 Although there is no publicly available information indicating that the House of Representatives has established a formal mechanism for the periodic review of electoral laws,
Electoral Reform
Not started
In progress
Completed
Implementation Strategies
Strat.1 Pass an independent legislation (the Political Parties Bill) to regulate the registration, financing and functioning of political parties and, by so doing, allow INEC to focus on the conduct of elections.
Strat.2 Make electronic transmission of results mandatory over time
Strat.3 Align the reconfiguration of technological devices used in between elections
Strat.4 Introduce early voting for eligible voters on election duty, such as INEC staff, observers and their drivers, security personnel, and journalists.
Strat.5 Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to allow diaspora voting by government officials around the world.
Strat.6 Stipulate sanctions for failure to submit register of party members not later than 30 days before the date of party primaries, congresses or conventions
Strat.7 Make more stringent the conditions regulating withdrawal of candidature and substitution
Strat.8 Allow candidates outside the political parties, as well as tax-paying citizens to file suits against candidates who provide false information to INEC regarding their candidature
Strat.9 Strengthen the Electoral Act to ensure that all cases are resolved and judgments made before the date of swearing-in
Specific Legislative Actions
Strat.1 The House of Representatives introduced the Political Parties Bill to establish an independent legal framework for regulating the registration, financing, and functioning of political parties in Nigeria
Strat.2 The House of Representatives through its committee on Electoral Matters is advancing amendments to the Electoral Act to make electronic transmission of results compulsory to reduce human error, prevent manipulation, and build public confidence in electoral outcomes.
Strat.3 The House of Representatives working through the Committee on Electoral Matters, among others, is engaging with INEC and other stakeholders to consider the possibility of establish clear procedures for reconfiguration of technological devices
Strat.4 The proposal to introduce early voting for eligible voters on election duty, is currently under consideration in the Senate. The 10th House of Representatives has not yet introduced a corresponding bill or initiative on this matter.
Strat.5 The House of Representatives has introduced a proposal to amend the Electoral Act, 2022, to allow diaspora voting,
Strat.6 The House of Representatives has introduced proposals amending the Electoral Act, 2022 to impose penalties for failure to submit party membership registers 30 days before primaries.
Strat.7 The House of Representatives has introduced proposals amending the Electoral Act, 2022 to to make the conditions for the withdrawal of candidature and substitution of candidates more stringent.
Strat.8 No specific bill yet to empower non-party candidates or citizens to sue over false information submitted to INEC.
Strat.9 The House of Representatives, through its ongoing review of the Electoral Act, has proposed amendments aimed at ensuring that all election-related cases and petitions are resolved, and judgments delivered, before the swearing-in of elected officials
Electoral Reform
Not started
In progress
Completed
Implementation Strategies (STRAT)
Strat.1 Propose amendments to the Constitution on issues related to elections in Nigeria to address the following shortcomings:
Appointment of Chairman and National Commissioners of the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC) and Relevance or otherwise of Resident Electoral Commissioners of INEC in the States.
Strat.2 Amend both the constitution and the Electoral Act to:
Review the process of appointments into INEC, specifically to divest/minimize the involvement of the President in appointment of Chairman and National Commissioners of INEC:
Professionalize lower level administrative appointments, including headship of state offices of INEC.
Strat.3 Amend the Constitution to empower INEC to conduct LGA elections
Strat.4 Strengthen the Electoral Act to explicitly prohibit vote buying and vote selling
Strat.5 Proscribe cross-carpeting not only for members of the National Assembly but also for elected executives, governors and Chairmen of LGAs.
Strat.6 Empower INEC to prepare for elections to fill the vacancy once it has evidence of the act of cross-carpeting
Specific Legislative Actions
Strat.1 The House of Representatives, via its Constitution Review Committee, has begun the legislative process to amend constitutional provisions related to elections in order to implement comprehensive electoral reforms.
Strat.2 The House of Representatives through its committee on electoral matters is actively considering specific legislative actions aimed at reforming the appointment process of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and professionalizing its administrative structure
Strat.3 The 10th House of Representatives has initiated a constitutional amendment process to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct Local Government Area (LGA) elections across the country.
Strat.4 The House of Representatives has proposed amendments to the Electoral Act, 2022 to explicitly prohibit vote buying and vote selling and can only be achieved upon passage of the bill by the National Assembly and subsequent assent by the President
Strat.5 As part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process, the House of Representatives is considering a bill to establish consequences for elected officials cross-carpeting (defecting) from the political party which they represent
Strat.6 The House of Representatives has included in the ongoing constitutional alteration a provision to empower INEC to prepare for elections to fill vacancies arising from acts of cross-carpeting by elected officials. However, INEC can only exercise this authority once the constitutional alteration bill is passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President, thereby giving it the force of law.
Comments