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Leaders of the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party have called on the National Assembly of Nigeria to begin a fresh process to amend the Electoral Act, insisting that the current law does not reflect the aspirations of Nigerians.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the NNPP national chairman, Ajuji Ahmed, said opposition parties were demanding a new amendment process that would remove what he described as “objectionable” provisions in the Act.
The opposition leaders also rejected the Electoral Act recently passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by Bola Tinubu.
In a communiqué read by Ahmed, they urged lawmakers to immediately reopen the law for review to ensure it guarantees credible elections.
According to the statement, the opposition wants a new amendment process that would “remove all obnoxious provisions” and produce a legal framework that reflects the will of Nigerians for “free, fair, transparent and credible” elections. The group warned that anything short of this would be unacceptable.
Prominent figures at the meeting included former Senate President David Mark, NNPP chieftain Buba Galadima, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Others in attendance at the meeting, held at the Lagos/Osun Hall of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, included the 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 other party officials and stakeholders.
Ajuri Ahmed of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is strategising to position President Tinubu as the sole credible presidential contender ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He maintained that data at their disposal indicates that results can be electronically transmitted from all polling units nationwide, questioning the rationale behind retaining a manual transmission provision in the new law.
Ahmed further expressed shock at the swiftness with which the President approved the bill, noting that similar urgency was not shown in signing other pieces of legislation.
According to him, the recently concluded Federal Capital Territory (FCT) election demonstrates why the APC hurriedly pushed for the signing of the Electoral Act.
The coalition of opposition leaders also dismissed the outcome of the FCT Area Council election, arguing that it served as a crucial test for the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, which they believe he failed.
