Justice Ajiley Critiques Electoral Act 2026 Amendments

Retired Justice Alabama Omolay Ajiley publicly criticized the amendments to the Electoral Act 2026 during the launch of his book on electronic evidence in Abuja. He described the provisions regarding electronic transmission of election results as inconsistent and lacking sincerity.

Ajiley argued that the law's requirement for a bimodal voter accreditation system could weaken the integrity of the electoral process by allowing manual handling of results whenever electronic transmission fails. He warned that the amendments could encourage electoral actors to manufacture claims of communication failures to dispute results.

Ajiley proposed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should publish a list of polling units where electronic transmission failed, including reasons for such failures. He also noted that the amendments did not include necessary provisions for handling failures of electronic devices, which could lead to manipulation.

Ajiley stressed the importance of strict enforcement of existing electoral laws to prevent ballot box snatching and other electoral malpractices.