Presidency Blasts ADC, NNPP Over Criticism Of New Electoral Act

The Presidency, on Thursday, criticised opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), over their rejection of the amended Electoral Act, accusing them of making “reckless” and “spurious” allegations against President Bola Tinubu and the APC-led Federal Government.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Thursday, said the opposition had resorted to “irresponsible political statements” in a bid to mislead Nigerians and attract attention.

Onanuga alleged that the opposition, working with some civil society groups, had engaged in what he described as a “relentless war of disinformation” against the National Assembly and the current administration.

He said the amendment to the Electoral Act was a necessary step to address practical realities, particularly network challenges that could affect the real-time transmission of election results.

According to him, the amended law provides for real-time transmission of results while recognising Form EC8A as a valid backup in cases of technical failure.

“The opposition’s claim that Form EC8A creates a loophole for manipulation is illogical and a needless tantrum by those who should know better,” Onanuga said.

He explained that network glitches remain a genuine concern and that the provision allowing the use of Form EC8A ensures that elections are not invalidated due to technical issues.

The presidential aide also clarified that the Independent National Electoral Commission Results Viewing Portal was designed for public viewing and not as an official collation centre.

“IReV is not a collation centre; it is a platform for uploading results for public viewing. The primary source for validating election results remains Form EC8,” he stated.

Onanuga further criticised opposition parties for rejecting direct primaries and consensus arrangements for selecting candidates, saying such provisions strengthen internal democracy within political parties.

He said the removal of delegate-based primaries was intended to restore decision-making power to party members.

“We find it perplexing why the opposition is crying over the inclusion of direct primaries and consensus voting, rather than the corrupt delegate system they prefer,” he said.

The Presidency also dismissed claims that the amendment was part of a broader plan to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, describing the allegation as false and unfounded.

Onanuga said Nigeria remains a multiparty democracy with more than a dozen registered political parties.

He maintained that the National Assembly followed due process in amending the law, noting that lawmakers consulted widely with stakeholders over a two-year period before passing the amendment.

According to him, the new Electoral Act represents a significant improvement over the previous legislation and was designed to close loopholes that could undermine electoral integrity.

The Presidency urged opposition parties to engage constructively and focus on strengthening their internal structures rather than criticising electoral reforms.

“Rather than constant lamentation and unwarranted outrage, opposition leaders should spend more time on introspection and fix their own mess,” Onanuga said.