ADC accuses President Tinubu of undermining democracy with the fast-tracked Electoral Act and vows to protect election integrity
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the amended Electoral Act into law, warning that the move undermines democratic credibility and threatens the integrity of future elections.
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In a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned the speed at which the amendment was passed and assented, despite widespread public objections.
“With the alarmingly speedy assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the death warrant on credible elections and, by so doing, set Nigeria’s democracy back by several decades,” the statement said.
The party said the amendments introduced ambiguity and excessive discretion in the collation and transmission of votes, raising doubts about transparency in upcoming polls.
ADC warned that citizens may need to take additional measures to safeguard votes physically if electronic transparency is not guaranteed.
“It is quite instructive that despite claiming control of more than 30 state governments and a majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, the extraordinary haste with which this amendment was passed raises the unavoidable question of why the government would rush changes to the electoral framework unless it harbours deep-seated doubts about submitting itself to a truly transparent process,” the statement added.
Affirming its commitment to defending democracy, the ADC said it would mobilise Nigerians nationwide to participate lawfully and vigilantly in elections.
“As a duly constituted political party in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the ADC affirms in the strongest and clearest possible terms that we are ready, willing, and prepared to defend the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy using every constitutional and lawful means available to us,” the statement read.
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The opposition party concluded that the will of the people must prevail and vowed to protect democratic rights despite the hastily enacted law.
