2027 Election: Opposition Parties Reject New Electoral Act

A coalition of opposition figures gathered in Abuja on Thursday to denounce the Electoral Act 2026. Led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the group described the new law as a “death knell” for competitive democracy. President Bola Tinubu signed the Act last week, following a swift passage through the National Assembly. Critics argue the legislation is designed to facilitate a one-party state by weakening oversight. Prominent figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, lent their weight to the protest.

The primary point of contention lies in the removal of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results. Under the new rules, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) retains discretionary power over how it sends data. Opposition leaders argue this “technical somersault” invites the very tampering that marred previous cycles. They insist that without a digital mandate, the primary result sheets remain vulnerable to manual alteration. This lack of transparency is seen as a betrayal of the Nigerian electorate.

Internal friction within the opposition ranks nearly overshadowed the policy debate. A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) walked out of the briefing after a dispute over who should read the keynote statement. Efforts to mediate the row failed, highlighting the fractured state of the anti-government front. With only the ADC and NNPP present for the final signing, the “unified” resistance appeared somewhat thin. Such bickering provides the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with easy ammunition to dismiss the protest as disorganized.

Beyond result transmission, the Act reduces the official notice period for elections from 360 days to 180. The ADC National Chairman, David Mark, argued that this change disadvantages smaller parties with fewer resources for rapid mobilization. The government defends the timeline as a way to streamline the bloated electoral calendar. However, the opposition views it as a calculated move to keep rivals on the back foot. The Act also tightens voter identification rules, requiring National Identification Numbers (NIN) for registration.

The coalition has vowed to use every constitutional means to block the implementation of the Act before the 2027 polls. This likely includes a series of legal challenges in the federal courts and increased international lobbying. They are demanding a return to the 2022 standards that prioritized technology as a safeguard against fraud. The government, however, maintains that the reforms are necessary for “democratic consolidation” and administrative efficiency. For the man in the street, the debate feels like a familiar prelude to a contentious election year.

Whether these legal threats will translate into actual policy reversal remains doubtful. The presidency has already moved forward with the new framework, citing the need for INEC to begin preparations. For the opposition, the focus must now shift from press briefings to building a truly coherent political bloc. Without unity, their rejection of the law will likely be ignored by a confident administration. The battle for the 2027 ballot has clearly begun in earnest.