The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) of spreading misinformation about the newly amended Electoral Act 2026.
Onanuga made the accusation in a statement on Thursday, following strong criticism of the law by opposition parties. The ADC and NNPP had described the new Electoral Act as “obnoxious” and a threat to democracy. They also alleged that the amendment was an attempt to entrench a one-party state in Nigeria.
President Tinubu signed the Electoral Act amendment bill into law on February 18 after it was passed by the National Assembly.
The amended law introduces several changes to Nigeria’s electoral process. One of its major provisions is the electronic transmission of election results. However, it allows manual collation of results as a fallback option if technology fails.
The law also provides that political parties must nominate candidates through direct primaries or consensus.
Direct primaries allow all registered party members to vote in selecting candidates, while consensus allows party leaders to agree on a candidate without a vote, provided there is no objection.
The ADC and NNPP have rejected these provisions and called on the National Assembly to repeal and re-enact the law.
Nigeria’s electoral process has been a major subject of debate since the return to democracy in 1999. Over the years, concerns about election rigging, vote buying, result manipulation and violence have led to repeated amendments of the Electoral Act.
The 2022 Electoral Act introduced electronic transmission of results and the use of technology to improve transparency. The new 2026 amendment builds on that framework, according to the presidency.
Responding to the opposition’s criticism, Onanuga asked the ADC and NNPP to stop what he described as “constant lamentation and unwarranted outrage” against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government.
“The opposition, particularly the ADC, has turned irresponsible political statements into an art form, all in a bid to attract cheap headlines and mislead the public,” Onanuga said.
He argued that the opposition was exaggerating the effects of the new law because of its own internal challenges.
“Their inability to organize and their tendency to blame others for their own disorganisation and unpreparedness are evident,” he said.
Onanuga further alleged that some opposition parties were working with certain civil society groups to spread disinformation against the legislature and the Tinubu administration.
He maintained that the new Electoral Act is an improvement on the previous law and closes loopholes that could be exploited for manipulation.
One of the main issues raised by the opposition is the provision that allows manual collation if electronic transmission fails.
Onanuga defended this clause, saying it is a practical measure to address possible network problems in some parts of the country.
“Any reasonable Nigerian understands that network glitches are a real issue,” he said.
Nigeria has faced challenges with internet connectivity in rural and remote areas. During past elections, technical problems affected the uploading of results in some locations.
Onanuga also addressed concerns about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Results Viewing Portal (IReV).
He said the IReV portal is not a collation centre but a platform for uploading results for public viewing. According to him, form EC8A remains the primary source document for validating election results.
INEC has used the IReV portal in recent elections to allow citizens to view polling unit results online. While many Nigerians welcomed the innovation, some political actors raised concerns about technical glitches during the 2023 general elections.
Another area of disagreement is the requirement for direct primaries or consensus in selecting party candidates.
Onanuga described the opposition’s rejection of direct primaries as “perplexing.” He argued that allowing all party members to vote is more democratic than the delegate system previously used by many parties.
Under the delegate system, only selected party representatives vote to choose candidates. Critics have said this system can be influenced by money and internal party politics.
The presidency maintains that the new approach promotes wider participation within political parties.
Onanuga also stated that lawmakers consulted widely over two years before passing the amendment. He said stakeholders, technical experts and citizens were engaged in discussions about possible risks of technical failures and other concerns.
Opposition parties have claimed that the amendment could pave the way for a one-party state.
Onanuga rejected this allegation. He said Nigeria remains home to more than a dozen registered political parties, including the ADC and NNPP.
“In summary, the opposition is merely crying foul because the rules of the game have been adjusted to prevent manipulation, such as result hacking, which they have allegedly perfected,” he said.
Nigeria’s political space has been competitive since 1999, with power shifting between major parties. The APC defeated the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, marking the first time an opposition party unseated a ruling party at the federal level.
As preparations continue for future elections, the controversy over the Electoral Act 2026 is likely to remain in the spotlight.
While the presidency insists the new law strengthens transparency and closes loopholes, opposition parties maintain that it contains provisions that could undermine democracy.
