Opposition leaders in Nigeria have rejected the amended Electoral Act 2026 signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.
They criticize the process, calling for a fresh amendment to remove “obnoxious provisions” and ensure free, fair, and transparent elections.
The opposition bloc, which includes major parties and is led by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, criticised the process through which the National Assembly passed the legislation.
While addressing a press briefing, Ajuri Ahmed of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is working to present President Tinubu as the only serious presidential candidate in 2027.
He noted that statistics available to them shows that election results can be transmitted from every polling unit and wondered why the manual proviso should be included in the act.
He said they were surprised at the speed that the President signed the act, while he did not do that with other acts.
He said the just concluded Federal Capital Territory (FCT) election shows why the APC was in haste to signed the Electoral Act.
The opposition leaders also rejected the FCT election, saying that the FCT Area Council Poll was the litmus test, which the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman had failed.
