The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Olufemi Oluyede, has declared full support for the early voting bill introduced by the Senate for military and security personnel deployed during elections under the proposed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Speaking at a meeting at the Defence Headquarters, yesterday, led by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, the army chief described the bill as a noble idea and one that is long overdue.

He said: “Our role during elections is to create a secure environment for Nigerians to vote. Ironically, many of us in uniform hardly get the opportunity to vote ourselves.”

Reflecting on his own experience, the COAS revealed that in his entire military career, he had only been able to vote twice due to operational deployments during elections. He lauded the urgency of the bill, which also proposes that early voting begins seven days before the main elections.

He assured lawmakers that the Nigerian Army would provide full support for the passage and implementation of the bill. However, the army chief called for greater clarity on the verification process to ensure the early voting system is secure and credible.

He also suggested that public communication around the bill be better highlighted to build broader understanding and institutional alignment. During a meeting at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, Yar’Adua briefed senior military leaders on the following priority bills:

1. The Armed Forces Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2025;

2. The Armed Forces Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2025;

3. The Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, focuses on early voting provisions for security personnel, corps members, journalists, among others.

Yar’Adua, who revealed that nearly two million essential workers are currently disenfranchised, appealed for partnership and ownership of the reform process, describing the bills as necessary for modernising Nigeria’s defence and democratic institutions.