UcProgress | Breaking News, Education & Nigeria Updates

Tension has reportedly emerged within the National Assembly following allegations by a group of lawmakers that a key provision supporting the electronic transmission of election results was removed from the electoral amendment bill during final proceedings. The lawmakers specifically accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of allegedly overseeing the exclusion of the clause before the bill was passed at plenary on Wednesday. According to several senators who spoke on the development, the provision allowing for the electronic transmission of results had formed part of earlier deliberations and discussions during the review of the bill. They claimed the clause was considered an important aspect of ongoing electoral reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and public trust in Nigeria’s voting process. However, they were surprised to discover that the final version passed during plenary did not contain the same language or clarity regarding the use of electronic trans...

  The Nigerian Senate has turned down a proposal seeking to impose a 10-year prison sentence on individuals involved in the buying or selling of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), choosing instead to retain the existing two-year jail term. However, lawmakers approved a stricter financial penalty by increasing the fine from ₦2 million to ₦5 million under Clause 22 of the Electoral Amendment Bill. The decision followed deliberations on how best to curb electoral malpractice while maintaining proportional punishment. The amendment is part of broader legislative efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process and discourage voter inducement and illegal handling of PVCs. By raising the monetary penalty, the Senate aims to make the offence less attractive while avoiding what many considered an excessive prison sentence. Lawmakers maintained that PVC trading undermines democracy, compromises election credibility, and weakens public trust in the electoral system. The revised penalty structure...