Follow Us on Google
By Goli Innocent
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday described the newly amended Electoral Act 2026 as a “direct act of treachery” against Nigerians, accusing the National Assembly of undermining democratic transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the opposition party said the amendment recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu weakens the mandatory electronic transmission of results from polling units, a demand it claims Nigerians overwhelmingly supported.
Tinubu assented to the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) at the Presidential Villa shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission unveiled the timetable for the 2027 elections.
Reacting, the PDP did not miss words.
“The anti-democratic stance of the Senate and the sudden somersault by the House of Representatives on the amendment of the Electoral Act 2022, specifically on the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the polling units, is an act of treachery against the Nigerian electorate,” the party stated.
It described the development as a betrayal that strikes “at the core of democracy and electoral sanctity,” accusing lawmakers of acting with “disdain for the Nigerian people who voted them into office.”
According to the PDP, diluting transparency mechanisms ahead of elections raises serious suspicion.
Other News
“When lawmakers begin to dilute transparency mechanisms ahead of elections, only one conclusion is rational: there is a calculated attempt to create room for electoral manipulation,” the statement read.
The party further argued that limiting party primaries to direct and consensus options amounts to interference in the internal affairs of political parties, citing Supreme Court decisions affirming party autonomy.
“This provision is therefore ultra vires, and the attempt to constrict political parties is condemnable,” it said.
The PDP also accused the ruling party of hypocrisy, recalling that it once championed electronic voting reforms.
“It is most shameful that a party that demanded electronic voting in 2015 is now unwilling and unprepared to have electronic transmission of results this is a crying shame,” the statement added.
Calling for civic resistance within the bounds of the law, the opposition urged Nigerians, organised labour and civil society groups to express their dissatisfaction.
“This hard-won democracy must not be allowed to suffer decline in the hands of retrogressive politicians, masquerading as legislators.”
The amendment has triggered heated national debate, especially over provisions relating to result transmission, party primaries and post-election judicial outcomes, setting the tone for what is likely to be an intense political season ahead of 2027.
