Atiku Abubakar Calls for Review of Electoral Act Provisions

On Wednesday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar urged the National Assembly to urgently revisit the Electoral Act, highlighting concerns over a provision that allows ballot papers without official marks to be counted. He warned that this clause could undermine the credibility of elections if left unchecked, creating opportunities for manipulation.

Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Frank Shaibu, emphasized that the integrity of the electoral process is paramount and that the current law retains ambiguous clauses that could compromise democracy. He called for the Independent National Electoral Commission to tighten its operational guidelines to prevent situations where personal judgment could override verification standards.

Atiku also noted that the future credibility of elections in Nigeria depends on the legal framework, which should not send negative signals to the international community. He referenced that President Bola Tinubu signed the amended Electoral Act on February 18, 2026, during a ceremony attended by principal officers of the National Assembly.