The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused President Bola Tinubu of undermining Nigeria’s democracy following his assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, vowing to mobilise Nigerians to defend the country’s democratic process through lawful means.
In a statement dated February 19, 2026, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said the President’s “alarmingly speedy assent” to the amendment amounts to a setback for credible elections in Nigeria.
According to the party, Tinubu’s decision to sign the bill into law represents “the death warrant on credible elections” and sets Nigeria’s democracy “back by several decades.”
The ADC argued that at a time when Nigerians across political and generational lines are demanding stronger accountability and full modernisation of the electoral system, the President instead hurriedly approved amendments that, in its view, weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
“In signing the bill into law, the President claimed to be consolidating the country’s democracy,” the statement read. “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 unavoidable questions,” the ADC stated.
The party suggested that the speed of the legislative process indicates “deep-seated doubts about submitting itself to a truly transparent and competitive process.”
The ADC further warned that without firm guarantees of electronic transparency in elections, tensions could heighten during future polls, as citizens may feel compelled to physically safeguard their votes to prevent discrepancies between polling units and collation centres.
“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,” the statement added.
Declaring its readiness to challenge what it described as anti-democratic actions, the party said it would defend Nigeria’s democracy using “every constitutional and lawful means available.”
“We affirm in the strongest and clearest possible terms that we are ready, willing, and prepared to defend the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy,” the ADC stated. “We will mobilise Nigerians toward vigilance, toward lawful participation, and toward unity in defence of their constitutional rights.”
The party maintained that no hastily enacted law can extinguish the democratic aspirations of Nigerians, insisting that “the will of the people must prevail.”
President Tinubu signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, a move that has since sparked criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups concerned about the implications for future elections.
