Presidency cautions opposition parties against misinformation on Electoral Act 2026

*The Federal Government accuses the opposition party leaders of attracting cheap headlines by misleading Nigerians over the National Assembly’s amended and approved Electoral Act, 2026, stating said opposition parties’ activities are all in a bid to attract cheap headlines and mislead the public

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Government has accused the opposition party leaders of attracting cheap headlines and mislead Nigerians over the National Assembly’s (NASS) amended and approved Electoral Act , 2026.

The government said some prominent opposition figures, led by the ADC and NNPP, gathered Thursday, February 26, 2026, in Abuja, FCT, had made what it described as “reckless, spurious allegations” against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC-led Federal Government.

Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Thursday, February 26, 2026, stated the government noted the opposition, particularly the ADC, has turned “irresponsible political statements” into an art form.

According to the administration, the said opposition parties’ activities are all in “a bid to attract cheap headlines and mislead the public.”

The government also alleged that working in cahoots with some civil society groups, the opposition has waged a relentless war of disinformation against the National Assembly and the current administration.

It equally noted that the made false allegations in a bid to impose their will on Nigerians, and the Legislature, the arm of government constitutionally empowered to make laws for the country’s good governance.

Onanuga said in response to the realities in the West African country, the National Assembly enacted an amendment to the Electoral Act that allows for the real-time transmission of election results and the use of Form EC8A as a backup in the event of network failure.

The statement further noted: “The opposition’s claim that Form EC8A creates a loophole for manipulation is illogical and a needless tantrum by those who should know better.

“Any reasonable Nigerian understands that network glitches are a real issue. “The 2026 Electoral Act does not prohibit real-time transmission; it simply stipulates that if transmission fails, the result recorded on Form EC8A shall be deemed valid.”

The administration also said the role of IReV (INEC Results Viewing Portal) must not be misunderstood by the opposition.

It emphasised that “IReV is not a collation centre; it is a platform for uploading results for public viewing.”

The statement clarified that the primary source for validating election results remains Form EC8.

It recalled during the opposition parties’ press conference in Abuja, they also rejected the use of direct primaries as a means of selecting party candidates.

“We find it perplexing why the opposition is crying over the inclusion of direct primaries and consensus voting, rather than the corrupt delegate system they prefer.

“The opposition should be grateful to the National Assembly for removing delegate-based primaries and restoring party ownership to its members,” said the Presidential aide.

He stated: “No aspirant should fear participation by party members in the primaries.

“This is how candidates are picked by party members in the United States, where we borrowed the presidential system of government.”

The administration as well dismissed the opposition’s claim, that the National Assembly ignored Nigerians’ wishes as “total falsehood”.

“The NASS did not ignore the public,” the statement stressed.

Onanuga noted that for two years, the Senate majority leader in the NASS listened to various stakeholders, technical experts, and millions of Nigerians who expressed their views on the risk of technical failure that could invalidate the entire election.

The statement noted: “A recurring refrain from the disorganised opposition is the false allegation that President Tinubu aims to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

“Such cheap shots reveal their hollowness and lack of reason.

“Nigeria is a vibrant multiparty democracy, with more than a dozen registered parties, including ADC and NNPP.”

It said: “The opposition should stop exaggerating the effects of the new Electoral Act.

“Their inability to organise and their tendency to blame others for their own disorganisation and unpreparedness are evident.

“President Tinubu is a democrat—an opposition leader who, alongside like-minded individuals, led the charge to defeat the PDP in 2015.”

According to Onanuga, contrary to their deliberate misinformation designed to incite the populace, the new Electoral Act, signed by President Tinubu, is a significant improvement over the repealed law.

It said the effort helped to close loopholes, which the opposition leaders sought to exploit for manipulation in the electoral ecosystem.

The statement noted: “The opposition is merely crying foul because the rules of the game have been adjusted to prevent manipulation, such as result hacking, which they have allegedly perfected.

“Rather than this constant lamentation and unwarranted outrage, ADC and NNPP leaders should spend more time on introspection and fix their own mess.”

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