Former Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Peter Ameh, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of misrepresenting the state of Nigeria’s electoral system following the signing of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV on Thursday, Ameh rejected claims that Nigeria’s electoral infrastructure suffers from systemic glitches, insisting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has demonstrated sufficient capacity to conduct credible elections using available technology.
“There is no problem with our electoral system. Tinubu lied about glitches,” Ameh said during the interview.
President Tinubu on Wednesday assented to the amended Electoral Act, a move that has generated significant debate over provisions relating to the transmission of election results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ameh argued that INEC, as an independent constitutional body, possesses both the legal authority and operational capacity to manage election processes without executive interference.
“INEC is an independent body created by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” he said. “They have said they have the capacity to do it. They have done transmission in elections, including Anambra, and it was successful. They have never one day complained.”
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He further claimed that proposals for certain electoral reforms originated from INEC’s critical stakeholders and not from the presidency.
“So how do you come up and say we don’t have the infrastructure to solve this problem?” Ameh asked. “I know that the president is lying… it’s not true.”
The former IPAC chairman suggested that opposition to mandatory electronic transmission may stem from political interests wary of transparent vote counting.
“What of the people at the ballot? They are afraid that the vote of the people will count. That’s the only thing I see from all these,” he said.
The comments add to an already heated national conversation surrounding the newly amended electoral law, with civil society groups, lawmakers and political stakeholders sharply divided over its implications for transparency and democratic integrity.
As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, the debate over electoral reforms is expected to remain at the forefront of public discourse.