ADC: Tinubu’s speedy assent to Electoral Act a ‘death warrant’ on credible polls
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of dealing a major blow to Nigeria’s democracy, describing his swift assent to the amended Electoral Act as the “signing of a death warrant” against credible elections.
Tinubu signed the new Electoral Act on Wednesday, barely 24 hours after it was passed by the National Assembly of Nigeria, amid protests from opposition parties and civil society groups over controversial provisions, reports Nigerian Tribune.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC alleged that the speed of the presidential assent was part of a broader plot by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the 2027 general elections.
“With the alarmingly speedy assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, President Bola Tinubu has signed the death warrant on credible elections and set Nigeria’s democracy back by decades,” the party said.
Electronic Transmission Controversy
The ADC and several civil society organisations (CSOs) had protested the non-inclusion of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results — a reform widely viewed as critical to transparency.
According to the ADC, the new law introduces ambiguity and grants excessive discretion in the collation and transmission of results, thereby weakening electoral safeguards.
The party warned that in the absence of firm electronic transparency guarantees, citizens might feel compelled to physically safeguard their votes, potentially heightening tension during elections.
Declaring its readiness to resist what it termed democratic backsliding, the ADC vowed to deploy “every constitutional and lawful means” to defend Nigeria’s democracy.
CSOs Express Disappointment
A coalition of civil society organisations — including Yiaga Africa, International Press Centre, TAF Africa, ElectHER and the Nigerian Women Trust Fund — also expressed disappointment, calling the new law a “missed opportunity” for transformative electoral reform.
At a press conference in Abuja, TAF Africa CEO Jake Epelle described the day of assent as “the darkest day for Nigeria’s democracy,” arguing that the law created new vulnerabilities instead of strengthening transparency.
Yiaga Africa’s Executive Director, Samson Itodo, questioned the speed of the presidential assent despite widespread stakeholder concerns, warning that rushed reforms risk eroding public trust.
The coalition, however, acknowledged some positive provisions, including:
•Downloadable voter cards from INEC’s website
•Disaggregation of the voter register by disability type
•Mandatory prison terms for result falsification
Mixed Reactions
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) also faulted the law, warning that leaving the determination of “network failure” largely to polling unit officials creates an exploitable loophole.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives spokesman, Akin Rotimi, urged Nigerians to accept the law, describing it as an improvement on the 2022 version.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) equally expressed regret over the President’s assent, describing it as reflective of a troubling trend in legislative processes.
With the 2027 general elections on the horizon, the debate over the Electoral Act appears set to intensify.
