By Emmanuella Oghenetega
With President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, signing the newly passed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, into law, ActionAid Nigeria has expressed its profound disappointment by the speed at which it was done.
Recall, that the newly signed Act, was signed by the President in less 24hours after its passage by the National Assembly, an action which AAN has frowned on, terming it as a development that has left troubling impression that the executive and legislature were operating in cohort without regard for broader institutional scrutiny or citizen engagement.
According to the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, the law which is suppose to fundamentally shape democratic future of Nigeria’s was assented to without allowing sufficient time for thorough review by relevant statutory institutions, including the Attorney General of the Federation, the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Federal Ministry of Finance, particularly regarding the legal, operational, and financial implications of its implementation.
Such haste did not permit the patience, openness, and broad consultation that legislation of this magnitude demands.
For context, other significant reforms did not move at this speed. The Tax Reform Package underwent consolidation in early May and was passed by the National Assembly in late June before assent.
The Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act was passed by the Senate in December 2024 and by the House of Representatives in March 2025, before being signed into law in August 2025. These timelines demonstrate that careful legislative progression and executive consideration are both possible and expected. Yet, when it came to a law that directly governs elections and democratic accountability, the urgency was extraordinary.
This development leaves the troubling impression that the executive and legislature were operating in cohort without regard for broader institutional scrutiny or citizen engagement. In matters of electoral reform, careful review by legal authorities, technical institutions, and relevant stakeholders is not optional, but essential.
The appearance that such scrutiny may have been compressed or sidelined only deepens public suspicion and further erodes public trust.
The Country stressed on the irrebuttable disregard for the voices of the citizens.
“Across the country, civil society organisations, electoral reform advocates, and concerned Nigerians raised substantive issues and proposed safeguards. Their concerns were not frivolous but grounded in the lived experience of past elections and in the collective desire to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system. To see those voices effectively disregarded is disheartening and goes a long way to dent principles of inclusivity, legitimacy and representation in governance.” He said.
this Act, if it proceeds in its current form, the implications are serious, and according to the Andrew Mamedu, the public trust in electoral processes could further decline into the dark days of authoritarianism.
Political tension could deepen. Confidence in democratic institutions will fade away.
When citizens begin to believe that electoral rules are shaped without them or against their interests, the legitimacy of future elections becomes vulnerable. No democracy can thrive under such strain.
“When citizens begin to feel that decisions of national consequence are taken without them, democracy itself is diminished.”
ActionAid Nigeria therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the National Assembly to immediately initiate a process to amend the Electoral Act 2026 so that it genuinely reflects the aspirations and demands of Nigerians.
Stating, “We also remind the National Assembly of its constitutional responsibility to represent the people. Its legitimacy rests not in speed of passage, but in loyalty to the public interest. Nigerians deserve a legislature that scrutinises, debates, and defends democratic integrity with courage.
“We therefore demand that the National Assembly urgently commence the amendment process to guarantee the unconditional real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units as a non-negotiable safeguard for electoral transparency and credibility.
“This is not a partisan matter. It is a matter of democratic survival and public trust. The credibility of future elections depends on the confidence Nigerians have in the laws that govern them.”
