The Kukah Centre, Yiaga Africa and a coalition of civil society organisations have criticised President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026, describing it as a missed opportunity for transformative electoral reform.
The groups made their position known on Thursday, February 19, at a press conference in Abuja organised in collaboration with the International Press Centre, TAF Africa, Centre for Media and Society, Nigerian Women Trust Fund and Elect Her.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the coalition, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, said although the organisations acknowledged the passage of the Electoral Bill 2026 by the National Assembly and the subsequent presidential assent, the process fell short of democratic standards.
He argued that the speed and opacity of the legislative process undermined public confidence in the reform.
“The speed and opacity raise serious concerns about legislative transparency and the commitment of lawmakers to genuine electoral reform,” Epelle said.
He added that the Presidency’s decision to grant assent without addressing substantive legal, technical and democratic concerns raised by civil society risked eroding public trust at a time when confidence in the electoral system remained fragile.
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The coalition also faulted the imposition of a ₦50 million administrative fee for new political party registration under Section 75(6) of the Electoral Act, describing it as a financial barrier capable of excluding grassroots movements, youth-led parties and non-elite political formations from political participation.
On party primaries, the groups said restricting nomination methods to direct primaries or consensus limited flexibility and heightened the risk of vote-buying and manipulation.
They called on the National Assembly to immediately publish the assented version of the Electoral Act to ensure public awareness, legal clarity and stakeholder engagement.
The coalition further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to release a revised timetable for the 2027 general elections in line with the new 300-day notice requirement, issue comprehensive regulations to clarify ambiguous provisions and conduct a nationwide simulation of electronic transmission across polling units.
Despite their reservations, the organisations said they would remain engaged in monitoring the implementation of the law ahead of the next general election.