Stop ‘Unwarranted Outrage:’  Presidency fires back at Opposition over Electoral Act

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Presidency on Thursday launched a strong rebuttal against opposition parties over criticisms of the newly enacted Electoral Act, accusing them of spreading disinformation and whipping up “constant lamentation and unwarranted outrage” against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the administration described recent allegations by opposition figures, particularly from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), as “reckless” and “spurious.”

According to the statement, the opposition had “turned irresponsible political statements into an art form” in a bid to attract headlines and mislead the public.

The Presidency defended the amendments to the Electoral Act, explaining that the National Assembly introduced provisions allowing real-time transmission of election results while retaining Form EC8A as a legal backup in the event of network failure.

“The opposition’s claim that Form EC8A creates a loophole for manipulation is illogical and a needless tantrum by those who should know better,” the statement read.

It clarified that the 2026 Electoral Act does not prohibit real-time transmission but provides that where transmission fails, the result recorded on Form EC8A shall be deemed valid.

The Presidency also faulted what it described as a misunderstanding of the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), noting that it is not a collation centre but a platform for public viewing of uploaded results, with Form EC8 remaining the primary validation document.

On the controversy surrounding direct primaries, the administration expressed surprise at opposition resistance to the removal of delegate-based primaries.

“We find it perplexing why the opposition is crying over the inclusion of direct primaries and consensus voting, rather than the corrupt delegate system they prefer,” the statement said, adding that no aspirant should fear participation by party members.

The Presidency dismissed claims that the National Assembly ignored public input, stating that lawmakers consulted stakeholders and experts over a two-year period before passing the amendments.

Responding to allegations that President Tinubu seeks to entrench a one-party state, the statement described such claims as “cheap shots,” insisting that Nigeria remains a vibrant multiparty democracy with over a dozen registered political parties.

“Contrary to their deliberate misinformation designed to incite the populace, the new Electoral Act is a significant improvement over the repealed law,” the statement added.

The Presidency urged opposition leaders to focus on internal reforms rather than “constant lamentation,” maintaining that the revised electoral framework closes loopholes and strengthens the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.