A Review of the 2022 Electoral Act of Nigeria and Its Effect on the Outcome of the 2023 General Election

This study critically examines the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act of Nigeria and evaluates its practical impact on the outcome of the 2023 general elections. Despite the legal and technological advancements embedded in the Act, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), the elections were significantly marred by systemic leadership failures, weak enforcement mechanisms, logistical breakdowns, judicial inconsistencies, and entrenched electoral malpractices. Drawing from the theories of institutionalism (North, 1990) and transformational leadership (Burns, 1978), this research investigates the structural and behavioral gaps that hindered the successful implementation of the Electoral Act. Utilizing a qualitative-dominant mixed-method design, primary and secondary data were sourced through interviews, official reports, and empirical studies. The findings suggest that the anticipated transformation of Nigeria’s electoral landscape was largely hindered by poor institutional leadership, unethical political practices, and the instrumentalization of the judiciary. The study concludes with a call for robust electoral reform, political will, and the cultivation of ethical leadership across Nigeria's democratic institutions.