- The Labor Party (LP) House of Reps caucus has criticized the rapid assent to the amended law.
- Lawmakers described the move as a “brazen disregard” for the ongoing legislative debate.
- The caucus warned that the “manual backup” clause could undermine the 2027 general elections.
The Labor Party (LP) caucus in the House of Representatives has expressed strong disapproval following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s swift assent to the Amended Electoral Act 2026.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the opposition lawmakers described the signing as “hurried” and “suspicious,” arguing that it was done to stifle further debate on contentious clauses that split the National Assembly.
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In a statement released on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, the caucus leader expressed disappointment that the President signed the bill despite a massive walkout by opposition members during the plenary session earlier this week.
The LP lawmakers argued that the inclusion of the “manual backup” for result transmission, which they believe overrides the electronic real-time transmission, is a “retrogressive step” that could provide a legal loophole for electoral manipulation.
“This hurried assent is a huge mistake that threatens the very foundation of our democracy,” the statement read.
The caucus further alleged that the President’s action ignores the voices of millions of Nigerians and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) who have been protesting at the National Assembly gates for more transparency.
They maintained that the amendment was “sneaked through” without proper harmonization between the two chambers of the National Assembly.
The LP Reps have vowed to challenge the legality of certain sections of the new law in court, insisting that electronic transmission must be the “sole and mandatory” method for result collation to ensure integrity.
As tensions rise within the Green Chamber, the LP caucus has called on all pro-democracy advocates to remain vigilant.
They argued that by giving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “discretionary power” over how results are handled, the new Act effectively reverses the gains made during the 2023 electoral cycle.
The presidency, however, maintains that the law is a pragmatic solution to Nigeria’s peculiar infrastructural challenges and was signed in the best interest of the nation’s stability.
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