Stop Lamentation Over Electoral Act, Presidency Tells ADC, NNPP

The Presidency on Thursday faulted what it described as “constant lamentation and unwarranted outrage” by opposition parties over the amended Electoral Act, insisting that the new law strengthens, rather than weakens, Nigeria’s electoral process.

In a State House press statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Federal Government accused opposition figures, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, of making what it called reckless and spurious allegations against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The statement followed a press conference in Abuja by opposition leaders who criticised recent amendments to the Electoral Act and rejected provisions including direct primaries and the recognition of Form EC8A as a backup in the event of technical failure during electronic transmission of results.

Defending the amendments, the Presidency said the National Assembly enacted provisions allowing real-time transmission of election results while retaining Form EC8A as a safeguard where network glitches occur. It described as illogical the opposition’s claim that the backup form creates room for manipulation.

According to the statement, the 2026 Electoral Act does not prohibit electronic transmission but provides that results recorded on Form EC8A shall be deemed valid where technical challenges prevent real-time upload. It noted that network disruptions remain a practical reality in parts of the country and that the law addresses that vulnerability to prevent the invalidation of entire elections.

The Presidency also clarified the role of the INEC Results Viewing Portal, popularly known as IReV, stressing that it is not a collation centre but a transparency platform for public viewing of uploaded results. It maintained that the primary source for validating election outcomes remains Form EC8.

On party primaries, the statement criticised opposition parties for rejecting direct primaries and consensus options. It argued that the removal of delegate-based primaries restores power to ordinary party members and reduces corruption associated with delegate systems.

The Presidency expressed surprise that parties advocating internal democracy would oppose broader participation of their members in candidate selection. It added that no aspirant should fear facing party members in a direct primary process.

Responding to claims that the National Assembly ignored public opinion, the statement said lawmakers engaged stakeholders, experts and citizens over a two-year period before passing the amendments. It cited consultations aimed at addressing risks of technical failure capable of undermining election credibility.

The Presidency further dismissed allegations that the administration seeks to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. It described such assertions as baseless, noting that Nigeria remains a multiparty democracy with more than a dozen registered political parties.

It also recalled that President Tinubu emerged from opposition politics and was among leaders who helped unseat the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party in 2015, arguing that his political history contradicts claims of anti-democratic intent.

According to the statement, the amended Electoral Act closes loopholes that could be exploited for result manipulation, including what it referred to as result hacking. It insisted that recent changes improve transparency and strengthen the credibility of the electoral framework.

The Presidency urged opposition leaders to focus on internal reforms rather than, in its words, blaming the government for their organisational shortcomings.

It concluded that instead of public outrage, parties such as the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party should engage constructively within the democratic space as the country prepares for future elections.