The Digest:
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Nigerian Senate to urgently prioritize amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, warning that its current pace threatens the integrity of the 2027 general elections. In a public statement, Atiku asserted that loopholes in the existing law facilitated rigging in the 2023 polls and created significant hurdles for election petitioners in court. He accused the Senate of deliberately stalling the amendment process, citing a recent investigative report as evidence of the need for legislative accountability. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele had previously stated the chamber would fast-track the bill in 2026.
Key Points:
- This frames the 2027 election's legitimacy as being decided now in the legislature, not at the ballot box.
- It places direct public and historical accountability on the Senate for the conduct of future elections.
- The core allegation implies a systemic failure where legal technicalities can undermine democratic outcomes.
- It elevates a political critique into a constitutional concern about the rule of law and electoral justice.
- The timing creates early pressure on lawmakers, making electoral reform a defining issue for the current session.
Sources: TheCable
