By Obinna Uballa
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections is in serious danger, accusing the Senate of deliberately stalling amendments to the Electoral Act.
In a post on X on Thursday, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate blamed loopholes in the Electoral Act 2022 for what he described as widespread rigging during the last general election, as well as the difficulties faced by petitioners seeking redress in court.
Atiku said the flaws in the law created room for manipulation and made it “almost impossible” for election disputes to be effectively prosecuted through the judicial system.
“A major setback to the 2023 elections is the loopholes in the Electoral Act 2022 that paved the way for the brazen rigging of that election, and the near-impossibility of petitioners to advance their cases in the courts,” he wrote.
He argued that without urgent legal reforms, the mistakes of the 2023 polls would be repeated in future elections.
“It is imperative that if the mistakes of the 2023 election are to be corrected, the legal instrument for the conduct of the 2027 and subsequent future elections needs to be reviewed,” Atiku said.
The former vice president accused the Senate of frustrating efforts to amend the law, claiming there was a deliberate attempt to delay the process.
“But as things stand, it has become obvious that the Senate is determined to frustrate the passage of amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act,” he added.
Atiku also referenced a recent report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), describing it as a strong indictment of the National Assembly and a call for greater legislative accountability.
“The recent report by FIJ serves as both an indictment of the Senate and a timely call for legislative responsibility,” he said.
Warning of the consequences of further delays, Atiku stressed that the integrity of the 2027 general elections depends largely on how urgently the Senate acts on the proposed amendments.
“The credibility of the 2027 general elections hinges on the urgency with which the Senate treats this crucial bill,” he said, adding that any failure to act would amount to “a deliberate attempt to rig the election long before the ballots are cast.”
