LP addresses INEC concerns ahead of state, LG congresses
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised Senate President Godswill Akpabio over comments dismissing the opposition’s objections to the Electoral Act 2026 and claiming to have done the right thing.
 
Meanwhile, the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led Interim National Working Committee (INWC) of the Labour Party (LP) said it had fully addressed the concerns of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of its proposed state and local government congresses.
 
Speaking during a reception for the wife of the President, Mrs Remi Tinubu, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday, Akpabio said he was excited and knew he had made the right law when opposition parties complained.
 
However, reacting in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC said the opposition did not complain for the sake of it, but because provisions had been introduced into the law that were designed to cripple other political parties, undermine the nation’s democracy, and lower the country’s standing in the eyes of the world.
 
The party said the Senate President should indeed expect the harsh judgment of history for his role in foisting the 2026 Electoral Act on Nigerians, especially the aspect of the law that removes certificate forgery as grounds for challenging election results, which would remain the enduring legacy of the ruling party.
 
The party said: “Amendments are made to laws to make them better in meeting national aspirations and advancing the collective best interests of citizens towards achieving a better society. It is only in a rogue democracy, or more precisely, in a kakistocracy such as the one we are in today, that the legislature would sit down to make laws that actually lower society’s ethical standards.

”How can any self-respecting person be happy with himself for presiding over the making of a law that now says the election of an individual can no longer be challenged on the grounds of certificate forgery as provided in Section 138 of the Electoral Act 2026, though this is in direct contradiction to Sections 66, 107, 137, and 182 of the Constitution, which clearly disqualify anyone who presented a forged certificate to INEC from holding public office?”
 
According to the opposition party, history is patient, and when the story of this period in Nigeria’s democratic journey is written, Nigerians will remember those who stood to defend the integrity of our democracy, and those who chose to weaken it.

A statement by the Senior Special Adviser to the LP Chairman, Ken Asogwa, expressed the party’s resolve to comply with the directives and corrections from the INEC.
 
The electoral umpire had earlier written to the Usman-led INWC to ensure that its activities were fully in line with relevant electoral guidelines.
 
However, the party warned its members against rumours in circulation discrediting its activities and misinforming the public about INEC correspondents to the party ahead of its congresses.
 
The letter reads, “Following the communication from INEC, the leadership of the party has, in full compliance with the Party’s Constitution, the Electoral Act and the relevant INEC guidelines, taken all the necessary steps to conclusively address the concerns raised by the Commission.
  
“Ordinarily, the party chose to ignore the beer parlour gossip being peddled by some discredited former members of the party concerning the said letter by INEC.”