The National Assembly of Nigeria has defended the recently amended Electoral Act 2026, describing the process that produced the law as credible, inclusive, and in line with constitutional and parliamentary procedures, despite widespread criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups.
The defence came as the African Democratic Congress (ADC), several civil society organisations (CSOs), and the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) warned that unresolved loopholes in the law could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at a briefing convened by a coalition of CSOs in Abuja, House of Representatives spokesman, Akin Rotimi, dismissed allegations that the legislature ignored public opinion, particularly on electronic transmission of election results. He insisted that due process was followed throughout the review of the 2022 Electoral Act, culminating in the 2026 amendment.
Rotimi expressed regret over the tear-gassing of protesters at the National Assembly, describing the incident as unconstitutional and assuring that it was being investigated. He also urged civil society groups to guard against infiltration during demonstrations.
Addressing concerns over Section 63 of the Act, Rotimi clarified that the law now expressly mandates electronic transmission of results and recognises the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). According to him, manual collation only applies as a fallback where electronic transmission fails.
He explained that the House adopted the conference committee’s compromise wording—rather than the Senate’s version—following a bipartisan process involving members of the All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, and APGA. He further justified the swift presidential assent, saying urgency was necessary to align with electoral timelines already announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, civil society leaders warned that the fallback clause on manual transmission could be abused, while also criticising the ₦50 million administrative fee for party registration and provisions allowing consensus candidacy, which they said could weaken internal party democracy.
In a strongly worded statement, ADC accused President Bola Tinubu of weakening democratic credibility through what it described as a rushed assent. The party vowed to mobilise Nigerians nationwide to defend electoral transparency using lawful means.
Similarly, MBF President, Bitrus Pogu, said the amended law had returned Nigeria’s electoral process “to square one,” citing ambiguity over which result—electronically transmitted or manually uploaded—would take precedence in court.
The CSO coalition described the Act as a “missed opportunity for transformative reform,” warning that speed, opacity, and unresolved ambiguities could further erode public trust ahead of the 2027 polls.
