The Presidency on Thursday dismissed allegations by opposition parties against President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government, accusing them of spreading misinformation over the recently amended Electoral Act.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the State House said opposition figures, particularly from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), made what it described as “reckless and spurious allegations” during a press conference in Abuja.
The Presidency accused the opposition of waging a campaign of disinformation against the National Assembly and the Tinubu administration, alleging that their claims were aimed at misleading Nigerians and undermining the legislature’s constitutional role in lawmaking.
Responding to concerns about the amended Electoral Act, the statement defended provisions allowing for real-time transmission of election results, while recognising the use of Form EC8A as a backup in the event of network failure. It described as “illogical” the opposition’s claim that the use of Form EC8A creates opportunities for manipulation.
According to the Presidency, the 2026 Electoral Act does not prohibit electronic transmission of results but provides that where technical glitches occur, results recorded on Form EC8A remain valid. It also clarified that the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) is designed for public viewing of uploaded results and not as a collation centre, stressing that Form EC8 remains the primary source for validating election outcomes.
The statement further criticised opposition parties for rejecting direct primaries and consensus voting as methods for selecting party candidates. It argued that direct primaries enhance internal party democracy and eliminate what it described as the “corrupt delegate system.”
The Presidency also dismissed claims that the National Assembly ignored public opinion in passing the amended law, noting that lawmakers reportedly consulted widely with stakeholders and experts over a two-year period before enacting the legislation.
Addressing allegations that the administration seeks to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, the statement described such claims as baseless, insisting that Nigeria remains a multiparty democracy with over a dozen registered political parties.
The Presidency maintained that the amended Electoral Act represents an improvement on the repealed law and is designed to close loopholes and strengthen the integrity of the electoral process.