The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has pledged to mobilise Nigerians across the country to safeguard the integrity of future elections, accusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of undermining democratic credibility by assenting to the amended Electoral Act.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party criticised what it described as the undue haste with which the President approved the legislation, despite widespread public objections.
According to the ADC, the swift assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill threatens the foundation of credible elections in Nigeria. The party argued that rather than strengthening democracy, the new law introduces ambiguities and grants excessive discretion in the collation and transmission of election results.
The statement further questioned the speed with which the amendment was passed by the National Assembly and signed into law, suggesting it raises concerns about the government’s confidence in conducting a transparent electoral process.
The party noted that although the ruling administration controls more than 30 state governments and holds a majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, the rapid legislative process casts doubt on its commitment to a genuinely competitive and transparent system.
Expressing concern about the amendment’s implications for upcoming elections, the ADC warned that without firm guarantees of electronic transparency, citizens may feel compelled to physically safeguard their votes to prevent discrepancies between polling units and collation centres — a situation it said has occurred in previous elections.
The party affirmed its readiness to defend Nigeria’s democracy through constitutional and lawful means. It pledged to mobilise Nigerians toward vigilance, lawful participation, and unity in the protection of their constitutional rights.
Reiterating its stance, the ADC maintained that the will of the people must prevail and insisted that no law, regardless of how swiftly enacted, can extinguish the nation’s democratic aspirations.
