ADC and civil rights groups condemn Tinubu’s fast-tracked Electoral Act Amendment, pledging to mobilise Nigerians to protect democratic integrity
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and leading civil society figures have condemned President Bola Tinubu for hastily signing the amended Electoral Act into law, describing the move as a deliberate weakening of Nigeria’s democracy and a threat to credible elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.
Also read: ADC Warns of Threats to Democracy After Electoral Act Amendment
In a statement released on Thursday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of drawing a political battle line between itself and Nigerians, alleging that the amendments were designed to facilitate election rigging.
The statement coincides with denunciations from prominent politicians and civil rights activists, including Professors Pat Utomi and Usman Bugaje, Femi Falana, Oby Ezekwesili, and Olisa Agbakoba, under the umbrella of the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE).
The coalition described the amended law as “a scam and a coup against the Nigerian people” and pledged to mobilise citizens to resist electoral manipulation.
“The alarmingly speedy assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill is effectively the death warrant on credible elections and sets Nigeria’s democracy back by several decades,” the ADC said.
The party further warned that the amendments introduce ambiguity and excessive discretion in vote collation and transmission, undermining trust in the electoral process.
MCE highlighted that the law deliberately weakened mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results and inserted undefined “failure” clauses, which could create disputes and uncertainty during the collation process.
The coalition warned of democratic backsliding, citing risks including investor flight, social polarization, youth disillusionment, and institutional fragility.
In response, both the ADC and MCE vowed to mobilise citizens toward civic engagement and lawful participation in elections.
“We shall mobilize our citizens to the democratic battleground and resist the dangerous actions of the political class who steadily seek to derail our democracy,” the coalition declared.
Also read: ADC Slams APC Over Controversial Electoral Act Amendment
The groups emphasised that any instability arising from compromised electoral legitimacy in 2027 would be the responsibility of political leaders who ignored warnings and diluted safeguards, not the citizens defending their constitutional rights.
