By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
A coalition of civil society organisations has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to sign the Electoral Act 2026 into law, describing the move as a setback for democratic progress in Nigeria.
At a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the coalition—which includes The Kukah Centre, Yiaga Africa, TAF Africa, the International Press Centre, and the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, among others—argued that the new law fails to address critical weaknesses in the electoral system.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Jake Epelle, Founder and CEO of TAF Africa, expressed disappointment over the legislative process, which he characterised as rushed and lacking transparency.
“The civil society community acknowledges the passage of the Electoral Bill 2026 by the National Assembly and the subsequent presidential assent,” Epelle said. “However, we must warn that the speed and opacity of the process fell far short of democratic standards and raises serious concerns about the commitment of our lawmakers to genuine reform.”
He further criticised the Presidency for approving the bill without heeding the substantive legal and technical concerns raised by election stakeholders. “By ignoring these widespread objections, the Presidency has set a dangerous precedent. At a time when public trust in our electoral system is already fragile, this approach risks eroding it further,” Epelle added.
The coalition highlighted specific clauses in the new act that it says undermine the integrity of the electoral process. The group strongly condemned the ₦50 million administrative fee imposed on new political parties seeking registration under Section 75(6) of the Act. Epelle described the fee as exclusionary, stating it creates a financial barrier designed to shut out grassroots movements, youth-led parties, and non-elite political formations from formal political competition.
The coalition also voiced opposition to the restriction of party nomination methods to only direct primaries or consensus. They argued that limiting internal democracy in this way reduces flexibility and could increase the risk of vote-buying and manipulation at the candidate selection stage.
Despite the bill becoming law, the coalition is urging the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission to take immediate steps to ensure clarity and preparedness for the 2027 elections. They are calling on the National Assembly to immediately publish the authenticated version of the Electoral Act 2026 to ensure public awareness and legal clarity.
They also want INEC to urgently release an updated timetable for the 2027 general elections that complies with the new 300-day notice requirement. Furthermore, the electoral body has been urged to issue comprehensive regulations to clarify ambiguous provisions in the act and to conduct a nationwide simulation of electronic transmission of results across all polling units.
Despite their strong reservations about the new law, the coalition affirmed its commitment to staying engaged. Epelle concluded that civil society will continue to monitor the implementation of this act and will work to ensure that the integrity of the next general election is protected.
