Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Nigeria’s main opposition figures have vehemently rejected the New Electoral Act recently passed and signed into law, demanding an urgent, comprehensive review of the document.
They said the current law is fundamentally flawed and unfit to deliver credible elections.
Leaders of the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party made the demand on Thursday in Abuja, insisting that the Electoral Act recently passed by the National Assembly of Nigeria and signed into law by Bola Tinubu betrays the democratic aspirations of Nigerians.
Addressing a joint press conference, NNPP National Chairman Ajuji Ahmed said opposition parties had unanimously rejected the new law, describing key sections as “objectionable” and “obnoxious.”
The New Electoral Act, according to him, is incapable of guaranteeing free, fair and transparent elections in the country.
Reading from a joint communiqué, Ahmed said the opposition was demanding an immediate reopening of the law to strip it of provisions that allegedly undermine the people’s will and entrench manipulation.
He warned that any refusal by lawmakers to revisit the Act would be fiercely resisted.
“This law, as it stands, does not reflect the yearnings of Nigerians for credible elections,” the communiqué declared, stressing that only a fresh, inclusive amendment process could restore public confidence in the electoral system.
The high-powered meeting drew some of the country’s most influential political figures, underlining the seriousness of the opposition’s challenge.
In attendance were former Senate President David Mark, NNPP chieftain Buba Galadima, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Others present included ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Dino Melaye, former ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, and former Cross River State governor Liyel Imoke, alongside party leaders and stakeholders.
The meeting, held at the Lagos/Osun Hall of the Transcorp Hilton, signalled what opposition leaders described as the beginning of a sustained pushback against what they see as an electoral law designed to weaken democracy rather than strengthen it.
President Tinubu had last week hurriedly signed the controversial New Electoral Act despite public outcry against the legislation.
The decision by lawmakers to remove the mandatory electronic transmission of election results in real time has been the major cause of the furore over the new Act.
