The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Thursday criticised President Bola Tinubu over his assent to the Electoral Act amendment, declaring that the move undermines the credibility of future elections in Nigeria.
The party said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had “drawn the battle line” with Nigerians and vowed to mobilise citizens to resist any attempt to rig elections through lawful means.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned what it described as undue haste in signing the bill despite widespread public objections, alleging that the amendment could weaken democratic processes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The statement said, “With the alarmingly speedy assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, Tinubu has signed the death warrant on credible elections and by so doing set Nigeria’s democracy back by several decades.
‘’At a time when Nigerians across generations and political affiliations are calling for stronger accountability and the full modernisation of our electoral system, it is sad to see a president, who likes to boast of his pro-democracy credentials, hurriedly approving amendments that not only fail to improve citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.
‘’In signing the bill into law, the president claimed to be consolidating the country’s democracy, but in reality, he has simply corrupted it further by introducing ambiguity and permitting excessive discretion in the collation and transmission process.’’
Abdullahi added that the speed of the amendment reinforced suspicions that the government was reluctant to subject itself to a transparent electoral process.
ADC said, ‘’By refusing to slow down, listen, and meaningfully engage the concerns of Nigerians, President Tinubu and the APC-led National Assembly have shown that they are afraid of what the Nigerian people will do to them in a free and fair election, and they have reacted by demonstrating outright disregard for the very citizens whose mandate sustains their democratic authority.”
The party further warned of potential tension during elections, stating, ‘’In the absence of firm guarantees of electronic transparency, vigilant citizens may feel compelled to physically safeguard their votes to prevent discrepancies between polling units and collation centres, as has been witnessed in the past.
“No government that is confident in its democratic mandate and cares about its citizens should place its people in a position that risks heightening tension during elections.”
ADC declared, ‘’As a duly constituted political party in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the actions taken by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, 18th February, moving forward, the ADC affirms in the strongest and clearest possible terms that we are ready, willing, and prepared to defend the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy using every constitutional and lawful means available to us.
‘’We will mobilise Nigerians toward vigilance, toward lawful participation, and toward unity in defence of their constitutional rights. We stand firm in the belief that the will of the people must prevail and that no law, however hastily enacted, can extinguish the democratic aspirations of a free nation.”
Kwankwasiyya Movement Raises Concerns
The Kwankwasiyya Movement also expressed concern over what it described as a hurried assent to the amendments despite public protests and expert warnings.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, the movement said the development highlighted the risks of one-party dominance and weakened accountability within the political system.
The statement said, “When elected representatives abandon the political platforms upon which they were entrusted with the people’s mandate without clear ideological justification or constituency consultation, it amounts to a distortion of democratic representation. The mandate belongs to the electorate, not to the personal convenience of officeholders.
“Nigeria’s democracy was designed to function on the principles of checks and balances. A vibrant opposition, legislative independence, and responsiveness to public opinion are foundational pillars of constitutional governance.
“When defections systematically weaken opposition ranks, legislative scrutiny diminishes, and executive proposals face reduced resistance regardless of public sentiment.”
Opposition Parties, CSOs Express Shock
Stakeholders, including the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), also criticised the amendment, warning that certain provisions could undermine transparency in the electoral process.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, James Ezema, the CNPP raised concerns about provisions allowing reliance on Form EC8A in cases of alleged network failure, warning that the amendment lacked clear verification procedures and could create loopholes for manipulation.
“In modern electoral governance, transparency must be anchored on measurable, auditable and tamper-proof procedures,” the statement said.
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations, including The Albino Foundation Africa, also expressed dissatisfaction, describing the legislation as flawed and warning that it could undermine electoral integrity and widen participation gaps.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, founder of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, said, “We must, therefore, state clearly and without equivocation: the Electoral Act 2026 that has now been signed into law is a missed opportunity for the transformative electoral reform that Nigeria requires and that Nigerian citizens deserve.”
The organisations added that the speed and opacity surrounding the passage of the law raised concerns about legislative transparency and the commitment to genuine electoral reform.
