Presidency Slams Opposition Over Electoral Act Criticism, Defends Reforms

The Presidency has criticised opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, over what it described as “unwarranted outrage” and persistent attacks on the amended Electoral Act and the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a State House press release issued on Thursday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga accused opposition leaders of making “reckless and spurious allegations” following a gathering in Abuja.

The Presidency alleged that opposition parties, in collaboration with some civil society groups, have engaged in what it termed a campaign of disinformation targeting both the Federal Government and the National Assembly.

According to the statement, recent amendments to the Electoral Act were designed to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system by allowing real-time transmission of results, while retaining Form EC8A as a contingency measure in the event of technical failures.

“The claim that Form EC8A creates room for manipulation is illogical,” the statement said, noting that network disruptions remain a practical challenge during elections and necessitate backup procedures.

The Presidency also clarified the role of the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), stressing that it serves as a public viewing platform rather than a collation centre, with Form EC8 documents remaining the primary legal basis for validating results.

On the issue of party primaries, the government defended the inclusion of direct primaries and consensus options, arguing that they promote wider participation among party members and reduce reliance on what it described as a “corrupt delegate system.”

It further rejected claims that the National Assembly ignored public input, stating that lawmakers engaged stakeholders and experts over a two-year period before passing the amendments.

The Presidency dismissed allegations that the administration is attempting to establish a one-party state, insisting that Nigeria remains a multiparty democracy with numerous registered political parties.

Describing the opposition’s stance as reflective of disorganisation, the statement concluded that the new Electoral Act represents an improvement on previous legislation and helps close loopholes that could be exploited for electoral malpractice.

The Presidency urged opposition parties to focus on internal reforms rather than what it called “constant lamentation.”