The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the APC-dominated National Assembly, particularly the Senate, of deliberately delaying the passage of the 2025 Electoral Bill, warning that the delay could jeopardise the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party expressed concern over what it described as continued prevarication by the Senate and House of Representatives on critical amendments to the Electoral Act 2022.
The ADC said the proposed amendments contain key provisions that introduce new compliance and eligibility requirements for political parties, noting that failure to pass the bill in good time could expose parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to serious operational and legal risks.
According to the party, provisions relating to mandatory electronic voter accreditation and electronic transmission of election results represent minimum standards required to safeguard the credibility of the 2027 polls. It warned that prolonged legislative delays could undermine these safeguards and fuel suspicions of deliberate attempts to weaken the electoral process.
“The failure to promptly pass the bill for presidential assent raises suspicions that the legislature, which is dominated by the APC, is deliberately delaying key amendments, especially those intended to make future elections more difficult to rig,” the statement said.
The ADC also cautioned that insufficient time for political parties to study and implement the new requirements could create “booby traps” for opposition parties, while making it difficult for INEC to issue clear and timely guidelines ahead of the elections.
The party cited the existing provision of the Electoral Act requiring INEC to publish election notices at least 360 days before a general election, noting that the window for adequate preparation is already narrowing.
“The ADC therefore calls on the National Assembly to pass the bill without further delay,” the statement added, warning that any further postponement could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and risk another contentious election cycle.
The party also appealed to civil society organisations, international partners and other political parties to pressure the National Assembly to act swiftly in the interest of transparent and accountable democratic governance.
“Nigeria cannot afford another acrimonious or dubious election,” the statement concluded.
