Leaders of Nigeria’s opposition political parties have rejected the amended Electoral Act 2026 recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing both its content and passage as flawed and politically motivated.
At a press conference in Abuja, the opposition coalition, led by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the legislative process to gain undue advantage ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Ajuri Ahmed of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) alleged that the amendments were crafted to position President Tinubu as the sole viable presidential candidate in the next electoral cycle.
Ahmed faulted the manner in which the National Assembly of Nigeria passed the amendment, describing the process as questionable and lacking transparency.
He particularly criticised the retention of a manual collation and transmission clause in the new law, arguing that available data shows that election results can be electronically transmitted directly from all polling units nationwide.
According to him, the inclusion of a manual transmission proviso raises concerns about transparency and opens the door to potential manipulation.
The manual collation provision has emerged as one of the most contentious aspects of the amended Act, with opposition leaders insisting it could weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
The coalition also expressed surprise at the speed with which President Tinubu assented to the bill, suggesting that the swift approval signals urgency driven by political considerations rather than electoral reform.
Citing the recently concluded Federal Capital Territory Area Council election, the opposition described the exercise as a warning sign and claimed it underscored why the ruling party was eager to have the amended law in place.
They further rejected the outcome of the FCT polls, branding it a “litmus test” that the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) allegedly failed.
The opposition maintained that unless contentious provisions are revisited, the amended Electoral Act risks eroding public trust and undermining the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
