Opposition parties and civil society organizations have condemned President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment), describing the move as a setback to Nigeria’s democratic progress and a legalization of electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Peoples Democratic Party, yesterday, alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress’s fear of losing the upcoming elections drove what is called the rushed approval of the contentious legislation, which the party described as a threat to the country’s democratic process.
Recall President Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) into law around 5pm yesterday at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, with senior National Assembly officials in attendance, which came barely 24 hours after the bill was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.
The bill, which was approved by the National Assembly on Tuesday, has generated significant debate, especially over provisions for real-time electronic transmission of election results, a key demand by opposition parties, civil society groups, and election observers following widespread allegations of result manipulation during the 2023 general elections.
The signing occurred days after the Independent National Electoral Commission released the timetable for the 2027 general elections, intensifying concerns among opposition stakeholders that t
However, The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, described the bill as “a step backward rather than a reform, saying that the bill that was passed is an absolute missed opportunity for transformative electoral reforms because it fails to address critical gaps
