Atiku, Obi, Amaechi, Other Opposition Figures Reject Electoral Act

Nigerian opposition party leaders have dismissed the amended Electoral Act 2026, recently signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, criticizing its provisions and the manner in which it was passed.

The opposition figures, led by former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the legislative process to its advantage ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Ajuri Ahmed of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) alleged that the APC was positioning President Tinubu as the only viable presidential candidate in 2027.

He criticised the manner in which the National Assembly passed the amendment, describing the process as questionable.

Ahmed said statistics available to the opposition indicated that election results could be electronically transmitted from every polling unit nationwide, questioning the inclusion of a manual transmission proviso in the Act.

The manual collation clause has remained one of the most contentious aspects of the amended Act, with opposition parties arguing that it could undermine transparency.

The opposition leaders also expressed surprise at the speed with which President Tinubu assented to the bill.

According to him, the recently concluded Federal Capital Territory election demonstrated why the ruling party was in haste to sign the Electoral Act into law.

The opposition leaders further rejected the outcome of the FCT Area Council election, describing it as a litmus test which the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission had failed.