“Fix Electoral Act Now Or Risk 2027 Election Credibility” – Atiku Tells Senate

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said loopholes in the Electoral Act were largely responsible for the alleged irregularities recorded during the 2023 general elections.

In a statement shared on his X account on Wednesday, Atiku argued that the flaws in the 2022 Electoral Act  created room for manipulation during the elections and also made it extremely difficult for candidates to prove their cases at election tribunals.

“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 wrote.

According to him, fixing the problems seen in the 2023 elections will require an urgent review of the laws that will govern the 2027 polls and future elections.

“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,” he said.

The former vice-president accused the Senate of intentionally delaying the process of amending the Electoral Act.

“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 wrote.

He also referred to a recent report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, describing it as strong evidence that lawmakers need to be held accountable and act responsibly.

“The recent report by FIJ serves as both an indictment of the Senate and a timely call for legislative responsibility,” Atiku said.

Atiku warned that the integrity of the 2027 general elections depends on how quickly the Senate moves to amend the law.

He added that any further delay could amount to trying to influence the outcome of the elections long before voting day.

“The credibility of the 2027 general elections hinges on the urgency with which the Senate treats this crucial bill,” he wrote.

“Anything short of this is a deliberate attempt to rig the election long before the ballots are cast,” Atiku added.

Meanwhile, Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has denied saying he would run for president in 2027.