KEY POINTS

• ADC says Tinubu’s assent to the Electoral Act amendment threatens credible elections and democratic progress.
• Party questions the speed of passage despite APC’s legislative dominance, suggesting transparency concerns.
• ADC vows lawful mobilisation of Nigerians to defend democracy and electoral integrity.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu for signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law, describing the move as a grave threat to Nigeria’s democratic integrity.

In a statement issued on February 19, 2026, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the President’s “alarmingly speedy assent” signals a regression for electoral credibility and transparency.

According to the ADC, the new law represents “the death warrant on credible elections” and could set Nigeria’s democracy back by decades.

The party argued that Nigerians across political and generational lines have been demanding reforms that strengthen accountability and modernise election processes.

Instead, it claimed, the amendment introduces ambiguity and grants excessive discretion in vote collation and transmission procedures, potentially weakening public trust.

Questions Raised Over Speed of Passage

The opposition party also questioned the urgency with which the legislation moved through the legislature and received presidential assent. It noted that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) controls most state governments and maintains dominance in the National Assembly.

Given this political advantage, the ADC said the rapid passage raises “unavoidable questions” about whether the government harbours doubts about facing a fully transparent electoral contest.

The party warned that unless firm guarantees for electronic transparency are ensured, future elections could become more volatile.

It suggested that citizens might feel compelled to physically guard their votes to prevent discrepancies between polling units and collation centres, a scenario it described as risky and avoidable in a healthy democracy