Major opposition political parties in Nigeria have strongly rejected the recently amended Electoral Act 2026, labeling it “anti-democratic” and a direct threat to free and credible elections.

At a joint news conference in Abuja, leaders including Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, David Mark, Rotimi Ameachi, and Peter Obi condemned provisions in the Act they argue undermine electoral integrity.

The National Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Ahmed Ajuji, delivered the primary address on behalf of the coalition.

President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law on 18 February.

Opposition figures contend that the law could subvert the will of Nigerians in the 2027 general elections, potentially enabling a one-party dominance.

Their central concern focuses on Section 60(3), which they claim grants undefined discretionary powers to presiding officers regarding the electronic transmission of results.

Mr. Ajuji argued that this provision effectively negates the purpose of electronic transmission to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV), giving officials a “blank cheque” to delay results under claims of network failure.

He cited Nigerian Communications Commission data showing over 95 percent 2G coverage nationwide and noted that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) achieves over 90 percent success even offline, which undermines the justification for the clause.

Another contentious provision, Section 84, restricts political parties to direct primaries or consensus for candidate selection.

Opposition leaders criticized this as an intrusion on party autonomy, warning that it could sow internal discord among opposition ranks ahead of the elections.

Mr. Ajuji cited past cases where direct primaries produced results exceeding actual votes in general elections, highlighting the risks of mandated direct primaries.

The coalition also condemned the recent Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, seeing them as a warning of potential flaws in the 2027 process under new INEC leadership.

They criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for reversing its earlier support for technology-driven elections while advocating against electronic result transmission.

Addressing voter apathy, Ajuji blamed erosion of public confidence in electoral systems and emphasized the need for the government to demonstrate a genuine commitment to citizens’ welfare.

The opposition condemned recent attacks on African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaders in Edo, reiterating that no political grievance justifies violence.

Ajuji called for urgent judicial reform to restore independence and impartiality, stressing that election outcomes should be decided by the people, not courts.

Opposition leaders vowed to pursue all constitutional avenues to challenge the Act and urged civil society and Nigerians to join in defending democracy.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar announced that the coalition’s position would be shared with all Nigerian embassies to encourage wider opposition collaboration.