In the South East and other regions of the country, mixed reactions have continued to trail the signing into law of the Amended Electoral Act 2026 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
While some leaders have commended the president’s action, describing it as a step in the right direction, others see it as confirmation that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is bent on imposing a one-party state on the country.
Opponents of the new Electoral Act argue that the process leading to its passage was marred by controversies, irregularities, and protests from opposition parties and civil society organisations. These groups insist that only elections conducted with real-time electronic transmission of results can guarantee transparency and fairness. However, the National Assembly opted for both electronic and manual collation of results.
An APC stalwart in Owerri Municipal LGA, Nze Lumanze Onyejiaku, lauded the federal lawmakers and the president for the amendment. According to him:
“We must commend both chambers of the National Assembly and the president for saving the country from chaos. Their decision to allow both electronic and manual transmission for the 2027 General Elections is laudable. We all live in Nigeria. We go to banks and experience network failures. In our homes and offices, we have witnessed network service disruptions on various occasions. Therefore, we cannot pretend that network services are 100 percent effective.”
Another APC supporter based in Onitsha, Nkem Njoku, also expressed support:
“The Senate, House of Representatives, and the president did a marvellous job by allowing both electronic and manual transmission of the 2027 General Election results.
We are still in Nigeria. We cannot compare ourselves to Western countries or even some African nations that have achieved stable power supply. We accept electronic transmission, but where it fails, manual transmission should apply.”
However, opposition parties have described the law as an “anti-democratic Electoral Act, 2026,” accusing federal lawmakers and the president of forcing it on Nigerians.
Chief Ben Mere, Zonal Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Owerri Zone, said:
“I do not agree with the National Assembly and President Tinubu on the composition of the new Electoral Act. We use digital television and banking networks daily, and they sustain online operations. Saying there are places in Nigeria without network coverage is not entirely true. The way forward is full electronic transmission of results.”
Opposition forces in the South East — mainly the ADC, Labour Party (LP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and others — echoed the position of their national leaders in Abuja.
At a press conference, prominent opposition figures including David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and NNPP’s Ahmed stated:
“We unequivocally say that the new Electoral Act is anti-democratic, and its implementation will undermine electoral transparency and the sanctity of the ballot, which are fundamental to free, fair, and credible elections.
This Act is part of an ongoing design by the Tinubu-led APC to weaken the opposition, corrupt the electoral system, compromise democratic institutions, and foist a totalitarian one-party rule on Nigeria. Therefore, we reject the new Electoral Act.”
They further argued that the provision allowing manual backup in the event of network failure could create room for manipulation by delaying electronic transmission to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
The opposition cited statements by former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, who reportedly said that the BVAS equipment operates offline with over 90 percent success nationwide, and that results would upload once network becomes available. They also referenced former INEC Commissioner Festus Okoye, who stated that every polling unit has internet access, as well as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which in 2023 reported over 95 percent 2G coverage nationwide.
Based on this, the opposition described the “no network coverage” argument as fraudulent and part of a broader strategy to manipulate the 2027 elections.
They insisted that “electoral outcomes must be decided by the people, not the courts,” urging Nigerians to remain vigilant. According to them, citizen disengagement, voter apathy, and erosion of trust in institutions pose serious threats to democracy.
The opposition demanded that the National Assembly immediately commence a fresh amendment to remove what they termed “obnoxious provisions” and ensure the Act reflects the will of Nigerians for a free, fair, transparent, and credible electoral process.
In response, the presidency dismissed the allegations as false and politically motivated.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated that the amendment allows real-time transmission of results while providing Form EC8A as a backup in case of network failure.
He described the opposition’s claim that Form EC8A creates a loophole for manipulation as “illogical and unnecessary.”
“Any reasonable Nigerian understands that network glitches are a real issue. The 2026 Electoral Act does not prohibit real-time transmission; it simply provides that if transmission fails, the result recorded on Form EC8A shall be deemed valid.”