‘Don’t Lecture Us’ — APC Defends Tinubu’s Electoral Bill Assent

The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the controversial Electoral Act 2026 as “orchestrated hysteria”.

Tinubu signed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law on Wednesday, a day after the National Assembly passed it following months of deliberation.

The new law repeals and replaces the Electoral Act 2022 and introduces amendments on party primaries, campaign finance, election technology and dispute resolution.

At the heart of the controversy is Clause 60(3), which grants the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) discretion to transmit election results electronically rather than making it mandatory.

The clause provides that if electronic transmission fails, manual collation is permitted as a backup under clearly defined conditions.

But many Nigerians, including lawmakers and civil society groups, had pushed for mandatory real-time electronic transmission from polling units to prevent potential tampering. Despite the pressure, the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate approved the version that permits INEC to use its discretion.

The Lagos APC spokesman, Hon. Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Thursday, said governance is a constitutional duty and not a popularity contest or “theatre for digital propaganda.”

“The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has watched with undisguised disappointment the orchestrated hysteria by sections of the opposition over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the Electoral Act 2026,” the statement read partly.

“Let it be stated without equivocation: governance is not a popularity contest, nor is it a theatre for digital propaganda. It is a serious constitutional duty carried out in the best interest of the Nigerian people,” the party said.

Oladejo further accused the opposition of spreading “half-truths” about real-time transmission of election results, warning that such electoral systems have failed in other countries due to technical and legal challenges.

He stressed that Tinubu’s assent followed due legislative process and institutional consultation, reflecting “prudence, not panic.” He also cautioned against weaponising public sentiment, insisting that reforms must be legally sound, sustainable, and credible.

“The opposition’s latest talking point -a romanticised and misleading narrative about so-called “real-time transmission” models in other jurisdictions -has collapsed repeatedly under scrutiny.

“Across several democracies where similar systems were experimented with, technological glitches, legal ambiguities, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and judicial reversals exposed the dangers of elevating political convenience above systemic integrity. Yet, our opposition continues to market half-truths as gospel.

“What manner of democracy suggests that the opposition alone possesses superior wisdom? Since when did electoral reform become the exclusive intellectual property of those who have consistently demonstrated administrative inconsistency when entrusted with responsibility?

“Their arguments are not rooted in patriotism but in opportunism – dressed in the facade of sincerity and national wellbeing. They demand absolute technological guarantees in a nation still confronting infrastructure disparities, yet they conveniently ignore the constitutional, legal, and logistical implications that accompany such absolutism.

“President Tinubu’s assent followed constitutional procedure, legislative debate, and institutional consultation. It reflects prudence, not panic. Reform must be thoughtful, sustainable, and legally defensible – not reactionary or driven by social media pressure.

“We caution those who seek to weaponise public sentiment: democracy thrives on credibility, not noise. Electoral integrity cannot be built on fragile systems designed more for headlines than for durability. Responsible governance requires anticipating risks before they mature into crises,” the statement further stated.

Oladejo further stated that Nigeria deserves reforms that strengthen institutions, not experiments that may compromise them.

He said that while opposition is vital in any democracy, it must not descend into distortion, adding that those who could not build durable electoral confidence when given the chance should refrain from “lecturing those taking decisive steps to secure it.”