THE Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Nigerian Senate of deliberately slowing down efforts to amend the Electoral Act 2022, cautioning that the delay poses a serious threat to the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement posted on his X account today, Atiku said flaws in the existing Electoral Act significantly affected the integrity of the 2023 elections.
He argued that the gaps in the law enabled widespread electoral malpractice and made it extremely difficult for aggrieved candidates to successfully pursue their cases in court.
According to the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, urgent legislative intervention is necessary to prevent a repeat of the challenges witnessed during the last general elections.
He stressed that reviewing the legal framework guiding elections is critical to safeguarding future polls, particularly those scheduled for 2027.
Atiku further alleged that the Senate is intentionally stalling the passage of proposed amendments to the Act, describing the situation as a calculated move that could undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.
He warned that failure to finalise the amendments ahead of the next general elections would amount to an attempt to compromise the electoral process even before voting begins.
The Electoral Act 2022, which was signed into law in February 2022, currently regulates the conduct of elections in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly is considering an amendment bill aimed at addressing shortcomings identified during the 2023 elections as preparations for the 2027 polls gradually take shape.