Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described loopholes in the Electoral Act 2022 as a major setback to the 2023 general elections, saying they paved the way for widespread rigging and made it almost impossible for petitioners to effectively pursue their cases in court.
Atiku revealed In a statement that urgent reforms are needed to correct the mistakes of the 2023 elections and safeguard the credibility of future polls, particularly the 2027 general elections.
“A major setback to the 2023 elections is the loopholes in the Electoral Act 2022 that paved the way for the brazen rigging of that election, and the near-impossibility of petitioners to advance their cases in the courts,” he said.
He stressed that the legal framework governing elections must be reviewed to prevent a repeat of past irregularities.
“It is imperative that if the mistakes of the 2023 election are to be corrected, the legal instrument for the conduct of the 2027 and subsequent future elections needs to be reviewed,” Atiku added.
However, the former presidential candidate accused the Senate of deliberately frustrating efforts to amend the 2022 Electoral Act, warning that continued delays threaten Nigeria’s democratic process.
“But as things stand, it has become obvious that the Senate is determined to frustrate the passage of amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act,” he said.
Atiku said a recent report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) serves as both an indictment of the Senate and a timely call for legislative responsibility.
“The recent report by FIJ serves as both an indictment of the Senate and a timely call for legislative responsibility,” he noted.
According to him, the credibility of the 2027 general elections depends largely on how urgently the Senate treats the proposed amendments to the electoral law.
“The credibility of the 2027 general elections hinges on the urgency with which the Senate treats this crucial bill,” Atiku said.
“It is, therefore, imperative that the Senate finalises the amendments and ensures the updated law governs the conduct of the 2027 elections. Anything short of this is a deliberate attempt to rig the election long before the ballots are cast,” Atiku warned.
He urged the lawmakers to act without delay, warning that any further procrastination could undermine public confidence and jeopardize the credibility of the 2027 elections.