Nigeria’s Senate on Wednesday voted against a proposed 10-year jail term for the buying and selling of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), a practice critics say fuels electoral malpractice.
Instead, lawmakers retained the current two-year imprisonment option, while increasing the fine from ₦2 million to ₦5 million under Clause 22 of the Electoral Amendment Bill.
As part of the same bill, the Senate shortened key election deadlines:
Notice of election must now be issued at least 180 days before poll day (down from 360).
Party candidate lists and affidavits must be submitted 90 days before elections (down from 180).
These changes aim to streamline the preparation process ahead of national polls.
The Senate kept provisions requiring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to invite political parties 20 days before an election to inspect sample ballot papers, ensuring party identities are accurately represented.
Lawmakers also retained the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and rejected electronically generated voter ID in favour of the PVC at polling units.
There was significant debate over how election results are transmitted:
Some reports say the chamber rejected mandatory electronic transmission of results at polling units, keeping only the existing provision for electronic transfer of results as in the 2022 Act.
Senate leadership countered these claims, insisting that electronic transmission remains part of the law, but clarified that they did not adopt proposed real-time upload requirements.
The Electoral Amendment Bill has now passed through the Senate’s clause-by-clause review. Before it becomes law, the Senate and House of Representatives must harmonise their versions and then send the final draft to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
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