By George Mgbeleke
 
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said President Bola Tinubu’s hasty assent to the controversial Electoral Act Amendment has corrupted Nigeria’s democracy and is akin to signing the death warrant of credible election in the country.
 
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned the undue haste with which the president signed the bill into law even in the face of widespread objections by citizens across the country, declaring it as part of the ruling party’s elaborate scheme to rig the 2027 election.
 
The party declared that with this move, the APC has drawn the battle line between the ruling party and Nigerians and vowed to mobilise citizens to frustrate rigging by any means necessary.
 
 
The full statement read:
 
With the alarmingly speedy assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the death warrant on credible elections and by so doing set Nigeria’s democracy back by several decades.
 
At a time when Nigerians across generations and political affiliations are calling for stronger accountability and the full modernization of our electoral system, it is sad to see a president who likes to boast of his pro-democracy credentials hurriedly approving amendments that not only fail to improve citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.
 
In signing the bill into law, the President claimed to be consolidating the country’s democracy, but in reality, he has simply corrupted it further by introducing ambiguity and permitting excessive discretion in the collation and transmission process.
 
It is quite instructive that despite claiming to control more than 30 state governments and commanding a majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, the extraordinary haste with which this amendment was passed and signed raises the unavoidable question of why a government that wrongly boasts about being so politically dominant would rush changes to the electoral framework unless it harbors deep-seethed doubts about submitting itself to a truly transparent and competitive process.
 
By refusing to slow down, listen, and meaningfully engage the concerns of Nigerians, President Tinubu and the APC-led National Assembly have shown that they are afraid of what the Nigerian people will do to them in a free and fair election, and they have reacted by demonstrating outright disregard for the very citizens whose mandate sustains their democratic authority.
 
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is also deeply concerned about what this amendment portends for Nigeria’s forthcoming elections. In the absence of firm guarantees of electronic transparency, vigilant citizens may feel compelled to physically safeguard their votes to prevent discrepancies between polling units and collation centres, as has been witnessed in the past. No government that is confident in its democratic mandate and cares about its citizens should place its people in a position that risks heightening tension during elections.
 
In this regard, the ADC wishes to pass the following message to all Nigerians, friends of Nigeria, and the world at large: 
 
As a duly constituted political party in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the actions taken by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, 18th February, moving forward, the ADC affirms in the strongest and clearest possible terms that we are ready, willing, and prepared to defend the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy using every constitutional and lawful means available to us.
 
We will mobilize Nigerians toward vigilance, toward lawful participation, and toward unity in defense of their constitutional rights. We stand firm in the belief that the will of the people must prevail and that no law, however hastily enacted, can extinguish the democratic aspirations of a free nation.
 

By Our Correspondent
Barely after 24 hours after the two houses of National Assembly passed the Electoral Act Amendment,the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the apex parliament amendment on the passage of the Electoral Act 2022, describing it as a “treacherous betrayal” of Nigerians.
The PDP said the Senate and House of Representatives’ decision to dilute the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units translated into a blow to democracy and electoral sanctity.

The party expressed disappointment with the lawmakers, saying they have shown disdain for the Nigerian people who voted them into office.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong Essien, the PDP described the excuses given for the amendment as “weak, illogical, and insulting to the’ intelligence of Nigerians,” adding that it is a clear attempt to create room for electoral manipulation.
The party accused the National Assembly of violating the foundation of legislative representation, which is anchored on mirroring the wishes of the majority of their constituents.

Also, the PDP condemned the restriction of party primaries to Direct and Consensus methods, saying it is a blatant intrusion into the internal affairs of political parties.

The party questioned the ruling party’s support for the amendment, describing it as a sign of fear of impending defeat in a free and fair election.

The PDP urged Nigerians, labour unions, and Civil Society Organisations to express their displeasure over the National Assembly’s actions and call for immediate reconsideration.
The party emphasised that democracy must not be allowed to decline due to retrogressive politicians masquerading as legislators.
The PDP vowed to continue fighting for proper electoral reform and transparency, warning that Nigerians will hold the lawmakers accountable for their actions.

By George Mgbeleke
Barely 48 hours to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that the conduct of credible elections is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders, as preparations reach their final stage for the February 21, 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, made this declaration on Wednesday at an enlarged stakeholders’ forum held at Barcelona Hotel, Abuja.
Addressing political party leaders, chairmanship candidates, security agencies, civil society groups, and members of the media, Amupitan emphasized that while INEC is constitutionally mandated to organize and supervise elections, the success of the process depends on the cooperation of all actors within the framework of the law.

The INEC Chairman disclosed that 1,680,315 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots across 2,822 polling units spread over the six area councils of the FCT. A total of 570 candidates will contest for 68 elective positions, comprising chairmanship and councillorship seats.

He described the FCT as a “microcosm of Nigeria,” noting that the council election is the only local government poll conducted directly by INEC, making it a benchmark for State Independent Electoral Commissions nationwide.
“Because Abuja is the seat of power and capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the attention of the entire country and the international community will be on this election,” he said.

Amupitan confirmed that the Commission has successfully implemented 11 out of the 13 activities in its election timetable. The only outstanding items are the conclusion of campaigns — which must end at midnight on February 19 — and Election Day proceedings.

He revealed that 106,099 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected following the suspension of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in October 2025, describing the turnout as evidence of strong public interest in the electoral process.
INEC accredited 89 domestic and foreign observer groups and 700 journalists from 72 media organizations to monitor and cover the election.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT, assured residents of robust security arrangements, including the deployment of personnel to identified flashpoints to guarantee voter safety.

INEC also confirmed the deployment of:
11,873 polling officials
282 Supervisory Presiding Officers
68 Registration Area Supervisors
208 technical support staff
192 collation officers
For logistics, the Commission will deploy 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles, and 14 boats, particularly to riverine areas of Abaji Area Council.

Amupitan stressed that election materials and personnel would be moved to Registration Area Centres (RACs) ahead of Election Day to ensure polls commence promptly at 8:30 a.m.
“Our benchmark for success is simple — timely commencement, peaceful conduct, transparent result management, and prompt declaration of results,” he stated.

The INEC Chairman assured stakeholders that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has been upgraded and deployed to all polling units, including 195 split polling units, with an additional five percent backup devices available, he added BVAS Upgraded, Results to Be Electronically Transmitted.

A mock accreditation exercise conducted in 289 polling units yielded satisfactory results, boosting confidence in the system’s reliability. Results, he added, will be uploaded through the Commission’s Result Viewing Portal in line with established procedures.

Amupitan raised concern over vote trading, describing it as a major threat to electoral integrity. He called on the Nigeria Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intensify efforts in arresting and prosecuting offenders.
While noting commendations received for the recent Anambra election, he stressed that the FCT poll must surpass previous standards,
“INEC does not arrest or investigate. We rely on security agencies, he emphasize the commission “Zero Tolerance for Vote Buying”.
He however, noted that the commission legal department is ready to prosecute once investigations are concluded,” he said.

Speaking at the forum, FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Aminu; Supervising National Commissioner, Mallam Haruna Kudu; representatives of political parties under the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC); and the NYSC State Coordinator, Mr. Samson, commended INEC’s level of preparedness.

They urged voters to turn out peacefully and called on the media and observers to remain professional and objective in their duties.

Daily Echoes Media can confirm the key statistics that will determine the FCT polls as follows:

Registered Voters, 1,680,315
Male, 909,912
Female, 770,403
Persons with Disabilities, 3,000
Polling Units, 2,822
Registration Areas, 62
Elective Positions, 68

As the FCT heads to the polls on Saturday, INEC reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a free, fair, and credible election, urging political actors and voters alike to play their part in strengthening grassroots democracy.