Atiku Abubakar Critiques 2026 Electoral Act as Anti-Democratic

Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria and a prominent figure in the People's Democratic Party (PDP), condemned the recently signed 2026 Electoral Act during a joint press conference held in Abuja. He described the Act as offensive and anti-democratic, specifically criticizing provisions such as Section 60(3), which allows the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revert to manual transmission of results in cases of alleged network failure, despite Nigeria's claimed 90% internet coverage.

Atiku also opposed Section 84(2), which mandates political parties to conduct primaries either by direct vote or consensus. He characterized the amendments as deliberate attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led National Assembly to undermine the transparency and sanctity of elections.

Atiku called for unity among opposition parties to defend Nigeria's democracy in the lead-up to the 2027 elections. The press conference included other notable opposition leaders, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.