• Civil society flags loopholes, seeks safeguards before 2027
• IPAC condemns process, demands polling unit e-transmission
• ADC vows resistance, warns of rising 2027 tensions
• ActionAid decries haste, calls for broader consultation
• CHRICED queries tech spending, rejects manual transmission
• Utomi calls amendment dangerous turning point for democracy
• APC dismisses critics, backs presidential assent

THE signing of the amended Electoral Act by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday has widened political fault lines ahead of the 2027 general elections, with critics and supporters sharply divided over electronic transmission clauses.
The development has triggered a wave of reactions across the political spectrum, with civil society organisations (CSOs) demanding mandatory real-time transmission of results from polling units, opposition parties alleging attempts to weaken electoral safeguards, and the ruling party insisting that the law strengthens institutional stability.
CSOs involved in election observation and civic advocacy described the amended Act as a missed opportunity for deepening Nigeria’s democracy.

The groups said the signing of the legislation marked one of the darkest moments in the country’s democratic history.
They also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately publish a revised timetable and schedule for the 2027 general elections considering the new 300-day notice requirement under the Electoral Act 2026.
According to the organisations, the decision of the Presidency to grant assent without addressing substantive legal, technical and democratic concerns signalled a troubling prioritisation of political expediency over electoral integrity.
They maintained that electoral reform should be guided by broad consultation and consensus, rather than compressed timelines and executive finality.

The groups argued that the law contains significant flaws capable of undermining electoral integrity, entrenching incumbency advantage and excluding millions of Nigerians from meaningful political participation.

The CSOs made their position known at a joint press conference in Abuja yesterday.
The organisations included Yiaga Africa, The Kukah Centre, Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), International Press Centre (IPC), ElectHER, Nigerian Women Trust Fund and The Albino Foundation (TAF) Africa.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Founder of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, condemned what he described as a disregard for legislative transparency.

“Electoral law is the architecture of democratic competition. Its legitimacy depends not only on its content but on the openness and credibility of the process through which it is enacted,” he said.

Epelle expressed concern over reports that the harmonised version of the bill was adopted by both chambers of the National Assembly via voice vote without prior distribution of the final consolidated text to all lawmakers.
He said some legislators later admitted publicly that they voted based on assurances from leadership rather than a review of the final legislative language, a development the coalition described as a violation of informed legislative consent and parliamentary accountability.
The groups further alleged that last-minute amendments were inserted without publication or structured debate, including provisions relating to real-time electronic transmission of results.

“The speed and opacity raise serious concerns about lawmakers’ commitment to genuine electoral reform,” the coalition said.

They accused the Presidency of granting assent despite “credible legal, technical, and democratic concerns” raised by stakeholders, warning that the move signals political expediency over electoral integrity.

“This sets a dangerous precedent,” the groups added, stressing that public trust in elections must be strengthened, not tested.

IPAC warns leaders will answer to history over Electoral Act amendment

The Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) expressed concern over the passage and assent to the amended Act, warning that public officials will one day be judged by history for their actions.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Egbeola Wale Martins, the council said it was troubled by the manner in which the bill was passed and the potential implications for public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.

“Power is transient. Decisions taken or neglected while in office will ultimately either protect or haunt public officials when they leave power. History remains the impartial judge of all actions,” the statement read.

IPAC said the process leading to the amendment had generated serious concerns and created the impression that partisan interests may have been prioritised above national interest, a development it said does not inspire confidence in the democratic process.
The council reiterated its position that mandatory electronic transmission of election results directly from polling units to the IReV portal, without any proviso, should be the minimum standard for improving transparency, credibility and public trust in elections.

It also reminded lawmakers that legislation carries long-term consequences for democratic stability, stressing that lawmaking is a national duty that must be guided by patriotism and the collective interest of Nigerians.
IPAC called on democratic institutions to act in ways that strengthen, rather than weaken, the country’s democratic foundations.

ADC accuses Tinubu of undermining electoral credibility, vows to resist ‘rigging’

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) criticised President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the amended Act, describing the move as a setback for Nigeria’s democracy and warning that it could undermine the credibility of future elections.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party questioned what it called the undue haste with which the President signed the bill into law despite widespread objections from citizens. The ADC alleged that the amendment forms part of a broader plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to influence the 2027 general elections.

“With the alarmingly speedy assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the death warrant on credible elections and set Nigeria’s democracy back by several decades,” the statement read.

The ADC argued that while Nigerians across political divides have called for stronger accountability and full modernisation of the electoral system, the amendment introduces ambiguity and grants excessive discretion in the collation and transmission of results.
The party said it found it “instructive” that a government which claims to control more than 30 states and commands a majority in the National Assembly would move swiftly to alter the electoral framework. According to the ADC, the speed of the process raises questions about the administration’s confidence in a transparent and competitive process.

It further alleged that by declining to slow down and address public concerns, the President and the APC-led legislature had shown disregard for citizens whose mandate sustains democratic authority.
The party also expressed concern about the implications of the amendment for forthcoming elections, warning that without firm guarantees of electronic transparency, tensions could escalate during the electoral process.
The ADC declared that it would mobilise Nigerians to defend the democratic process through constitutional and lawful means.

ActionAid rejects Electoral Act 2026, faults speedy presidential assent

ActionAid Nigeria rejected the amended Act, expressing concern over the speed with which it was signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, the organisation said the bill was assented to less than 24 hours after its passage by the National Assembly, without what it described as adequate time for review by key statutory institutions.

The group said legislation of such magnitude, which shapes the country’s democratic trajectory, requires patience, openness and broad consultation.
ActionAid contrasted the development with other major reforms, including the Tax Reform Package and the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act, which it said underwent extended legislative consideration and executive review before receiving presidential assent.
According to the organisation, those timelines demonstrated that careful progression and due consideration were both possible and expected. It described the urgency surrounding the Electoral Act as extraordinary.

“This development leaves the troubling impression that the executive and legislature were operating in cahoots without regard for broader institutional scrutiny or citizen engagement,” the statement read.

The organisation warned that compressing critical review processes in electoral matters could heighten public suspicion and erode trust in democratic institutions.
It also raised concerns about what it termed the disregard for citizen input, noting that civil society groups and electoral reform advocates had presented substantive proposals during the legislative process based on past electoral experiences.

CHRICED faults speedy assent to Electoral Act amendment, demands mandatory e-transmission of results

The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the amended Act, describing the speed of its signing as troubling.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Dr Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, the organisation said the bill was signed into law less than 24 hours after its passage by the National Assembly, despite what it described as strong objections raised in both chambers.

CHRICED expressed concern over the process leading to the amendment, particularly a provision under Clause 60(3) permitting manual transmission of results in cases of “network challenges” or “unforeseen circumstances”. It said many Nigerians, civil society groups and opposition lawmakers had advocated mandatory real-time electronic transmission as a safeguard against manipulation.

According to the organisation, allowing manual transmission in certain circumstances represents a setback for electoral transparency and could weaken public confidence in the integrity of elections. It argued that electronic transmission would reduce result tampering, limit political interference and minimise post-election litigation.

The group disagreed with the President’s position that election credibility depends more on human management than on real-time electronic transmission, insisting that public sentiment favours electronic safeguards.
CHRICED also cited positions attributed to telecommunications operators under the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria and the Nigerian Society of Engineers, which it said had affirmed the country’s capacity for real-time transmission of results. It further referenced the deployment of Parallel Vote Tabulation by the Transition Monitoring Group during the 2015 presidential election as evidence that real-time result management is achievable.
Utomi faults Tinubu’s assent to Electoral Act amendment, calls it ‘dangerous turning point’
Political economist Pat Utomi criticised President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the amended Act, describing the development as a direct confrontation between the political class and the Nigerian people.

Utomi, a professor of political economy and former presidential candidate, made his views known in a series of posts on X, where he characterised the amendment as a dangerous moment for the country’s democracy.

“The line is drawn. It is politicians in power versus the Nigerian people. Before us is life and death. Choose life that you may live,” he wrote.

He accused leaders in both the executive and legislative arms of government of undermining the future of young Nigerians.

“Our fathers fought colonizers. We confronted the military. Today’s youth will lose the future unless they contain yesterday’s men and entrepreneurs of power who masquerade as leaders in NASS and Executive branch. They have technology and numbers on their side to fight this coup,” he stated.

In another post, Utomi said the struggle for democracy in Nigeria had been reversed.

“Back in the 1990s I put my life on the line that Nigeria may be free. Today it became clear that freedom has been murdered. I call on Concerned Professionals to return to the struggle for the liberation of the Nigerian people from a cabal foisting on us advance election rigging,” he said.

Lagos APC defends Tinubu’s assent to Electoral Act 2026, faults opposition criticism

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress dismissed criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the amended Act, describing it as politically motivated and lacking national interest.
In a statement issued yesterday by its spokesman, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, the party said it received with “undisguised disappointment” what it termed orchestrated hysteria from sections of the opposition over the signing of the amended electoral law.

The APC said governance is a constitutional duty that must be exercised in the country’s best interest, not reduced to a popularity contest or digital campaign.

Responding to concerns over provisions on the transmission of election results, the party rejected what it called a “romanticised and misleading narrative” about real-time electronic transmission. It argued that experiences in other democracies have revealed technological glitches, cybersecurity risks, legal ambiguities and even judicial reversals where similar systems were deployed.

According to the party, reform is not the “intellectual property” of any political bloc and should not be framed as though the opposition alone holds superior insight.

It maintained that the President’s assent followed due constitutional process, including legislative debate and institutional consultation, and should be seen as prudence rather than panic.

“Reform must be thoughtful, sustainable and legally defensible — not reactionary or driven by social media pressure,” the statement read.