Nigerian newspapers review: E-transmission of poll results can’t replace manual — Tinubu

2026-02-19 - 09:16

In today’s Nigerian newspapers review programme, Today in the News, Vanguard leads with President Bola Tinubu assenting to the Electoral Act (Amendment) 2026, and saying that electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria serves only as a supplementary tool and does not replace the manual collation process. Another headline features the Police which says two people have died while three others were injured during the All Progressive Congress (APC) Ward Congress in Ondo State. Vanguard also reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted reports alleging that results of the February 21 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections will be transmitted live as voting concludes. Moving to the next paper, The Guardian’s lead headline states that President Tinubu’s signing of the amended Electoral Act ends legislative debate but heightens uncertainty ahead of 2027, leaving INEC to implement contested transmission rules amid likely legal and civic challenges. The Punch leads with opposition parties and civil society groups denouncing President Tinubu’s swift assent to the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment), calling it a blow to Nigeria’s democracy and a legalisation of potential electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 elections. Lastly, The Nation’s biggest headline states that the Electoral Act 2026, a reworked version of the 2022 Bill, came into effect on Wednesday after President Tinubu signed it, describing it as a step toward electoral sanity. Vanguard News