Nwankwo urges Nigerians to speak out against ‘dangerous’ Electoral Act amendment

The convener of the Civil Society Situation Room, Clement Nwankwo, has urged Nigerians to continue speaking out against provisions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill passed by the Senate, warning that the current version could undermine the credibility of future elections.

Nwankwo made the call on Thursday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, following the passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 by the Senate.

According to him, the version passed by the upper chamber does not reflect the position of the majority of senators and could create serious challenges for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“I think citizens have to raise their voices. I know that the Situation Room organised a protest last week. I believe that this will continue,” Nwankwo said.

He commended the role of organised labour, the media and civil society groups in sustaining public engagement on the bill.

“I think the labour unions, citizens, the media have been doing an excellent job. Even in your programme, your analysis and your comments on these issues are so very important, and it is important that this continues,” he added.

Nwankwo alleged that the outcome of the Senate vote was determined by procedural control rather than a genuine majority decision.

“What I see that has been passed is really the views of those who have the power to hit the gavel and decide whether a yes is a yes or a no is a no in terms of voting,” he said.

He claimed that several senators were unhappy with how the decision was taken.

“I know that a lot of senators themselves are very aggrieved by the way the gavel has been hit on this matter,” Nwankwo said.

The civil society leader urged Nigerians to push for the adoption of the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives, which he said better reflected public consultations and stakeholders’ input.

“I think that citizens should canvass that the version that the House of Representatives has passed, which is very much more in consonance with the consultations that the National Assembly has had with citizens, should be what is retained,” he said.

Nwankwo warned that changes introduced by the Senate, particularly the rejection of electronic transmission of results and the alteration of electoral timelines, could lead to serious logistical problems for INEC.

“But as it is today, what the National Assembly has done, the Senate particularly, is not the views of majority of senators. I am told what has happened is going to create electoral chaos,” he said.

“There is no way that these timelines that the Senate has tampered with will stand in terms of INEC’s logistics preparations. What has happened is that electoral chaos will be created by these new timelines that the Senate has put out as its position.”

The Senate on Wednesday passed the bill after its third reading but rejected a proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3, which would have made electronic transmission of election results mandatory.

The development has drawn criticism from the media and other stakeholders who insist that electronic transmission is crucial to ensuring free, fair and credible elections ahead of the 2027 polls.

Vanguard News

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