By Erewunmi Peace

Several opposition political parties have rejected the recently signed Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment), calling for a fresh review of the law ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The criticism follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the amended Electoral Act after its passage by the National Assembly.

Opposition Raises Concerns
Major opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi, have expressed concerns over certain provisions in the new law.

Political parties such as the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party argue that aspects of the amendment could weaken electoral transparency, particularly regarding the electronic transmission of election results.

According to opposition leaders, the Act does not provide sufficient guarantees for real-time electronic transmission of results and allows room for manual processes that may undermine credibility.

Call for Fresh Amendment
The opposition is urging the National Assembly to immediately commence a fresh amendment process to address what they describe as “anti-democratic provisions.” They insist that reforms must strengthen public confidence in the electoral system before the 2027 elections.

Some lawmakers and political stakeholders, however, maintain that the amendment improves administrative efficiency and aligns with recommendations from electoral stakeholders.

What This Means

With political tension already building ahead of 2027, debates around the Electoral Act are expected to dominate national discourse. Whether the National Assembly will revisit the law remains to be seen.