The presidency has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) of deliberate misinformation over the recently signed Electoral Act, 2026.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, said on Thursday that the opposition parties were exaggerating the effects of the law to mislead Nigerians and generate “cheap headlines.”
The ADC and NNPP had described the Electoral Act amendment as “obnoxious,” a threat to democracy, and an alleged move to entrench a one-party system.
The law, signed by President Tinubu on February 18, introduces electronic transmission of election results, with manual collation through form EC8A as a backup in case of network failure.
It also mandates political parties to nominate candidates via direct primaries and consensus, replacing the older delegate system.
In a statement, Onanuga said: “The opposition’s constant lamentation is unwarranted. Their inability to organise internally and tendency to blame others is evident.
The new Electoral Act is a significant improvement over the repealed law, closing loopholes previously exploited for manipulation.”
He also dismissed claims that form EC8A opens room for rigging, noting that technological challenges in some parts of the country make a manual backup necessary.
Onanuga clarified that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) results viewing portal (IReV) is strictly for public viewing, while EC8 remains the primary document for validating results.
The presidential aide further defended direct primaries and consensus voting as more democratic than the old delegate system, and rejected allegations that the law was designed to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
He insisted that the country still hosts over a dozen registered political parties, including the ADC and NNPP.
“Opposition parties are merely crying foul because the rules of the game have been adjusted to prevent manipulation, such as result hacking, which they have allegedly perfected,” Onanuga added.
‘
‘Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
Leave a comment