ADC, NNPP Reject Amended Electoral Act, Warn of Threat to Democracy
Leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have jointly rejected the newly amended Electoral Act, describing key provisions of the law as a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At a joint press conference in Abuja, opposition leaders accused the Federal Government of introducing amendments that could undermine electoral transparency and weaken internal party autonomy.
Dispute Over Electronic Transmission of Results
Central to their objection is Section 60(3) of the amended Act, which they argue gives discretionary powers to presiding officers to revert to manual transmission of results in cases of alleged network failure, rather than mandating real-time electronic upload to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
The opposition leaders insisted that Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure makes such justification questionable, citing data indicating that over 90 percent of the country has internet coverage. They argued that technological tools such as BVAS have demonstrated the ability to function offline and upload results once connectivity is restored, making permanent manual fallback unnecessary.
According to them, allowing manual transmission creates room for manipulation and reverses gains recorded in recent electoral reforms aimed at increasing transparency and public trust.
Concerns Over Party Primaries
The parties also rejected Section 84(2) of the amended Act, which reportedly restricts political parties to direct primaries or consensus arrangements for candidate selection.
They argued that the provision amounts to federal interference in internal party affairs and removes flexibility previously available to parties to adopt indirect primaries where deemed appropriate. The leaders described this as an erosion of party autonomy and a potential destabilising factor within opposition platforms.
Broader Political Implications
Beyond the technical objections, the ADC and NNPP leaders framed the amendments as part of a broader pattern of democratic regression. They warned that weakening electronic safeguards in elections could reduce voter confidence and increase post-election disputes.
The coalition called on Nigerians, civil society groups, and other political stakeholders to demand a fresh review of the contested sections of the Act, stressing that electoral laws must inspire confidence rather than suspicion.
They maintained that credible elections are the foundation of democratic stability and urged lawmakers to reconsider any provisions capable of undermining transparency, fairness, and party independence.
With political alignments already shifting ahead of 2027, the debate over the amended Electoral Act is expected to intensify in the coming weeks as stakeholders continue to scrutinise its implications for Nigeria’s electoral process.
