THE Presidency has strongly criticised opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), accusing them of spreading misinformation and engaging in what it described as “constant lamentation and unwarranted outrage” over the recently amended Electoral Act.
In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed allegations made by opposition figures during a press conference in the Federal Capital Territory, where they criticised President Bola Tinubu and the APC-led Federal Government.
Onanuga described the claims as “reckless and spurious,” asserting that the opposition was deliberately misrepresenting the provisions of the amended law in a bid to mislead the public and score political points.
Central to the dispute is the amendment to the Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly of Nigeria and signed into law by President Tinubu.
According to the Presidency, the amendment retains provisions for real-time electronic transmission of election results while allowing the use of Form EC8A as a backup in the event of network failure.
Onanuga argued that claims suggesting the backup provision creates loopholes for manipulation are unfounded.
“Any reasonable Nigerian understands that network glitches are real. The law does not prohibit real-time transmission; it simply provides that where transmission fails, the result recorded on Form EC8A shall be deemed valid,” the statement said.
He also clarified that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Results Viewing Portal (IReV) is designed as a transparency platform for public viewing and not as a collation centre, stressing that the primary legal basis for validating election results remains Form EC8.
The Presidency also addressed opposition objections to the inclusion of direct primaries and consensus voting in the amended law.
Onanuga expressed surprise that opposition leaders would oppose direct participation by party members in candidate selection, suggesting that such resistance indicates preference for the delegate system.
He maintained that direct primaries enhance internal party democracy and restore ownership of party processes to grassroots members.
“This is how candidates are selected in countries such as the United States, from which Nigeria adopted the presidential system,” the statement noted.
Responding to allegations that President Tinubu seeks to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, the Presidency described the claim as baseless and inflammatory.
Onanuga emphasised that Nigeria remains a vibrant multiparty democracy with over a dozen registered political parties, including the ADC and NNPP.
He argued that the opposition’s claims reflect internal disorganisation rather than systemic suppression.
“President Tinubu himself was once an opposition leader who played a key role in the historic defeat of the PDP in 2015. Allegations of authoritarian intent are not only hollow but contradict political history,” he said.
The Presidency rejected accusations that the National Assembly ignored public input in passing the amendments.
According to the statement, lawmakers engaged stakeholders, technical experts and members of the public over a two-year period before finalising the changes.
Onanuga maintained that the revised law strengthens the electoral framework by addressing risks associated with technical failure and closing potential loopholes.
Concluding the statement, the Presidency urged opposition leaders to focus on internal reforms rather than amplifying what it described as exaggerated narratives about electoral manipulation.
“Rather than constant lamentation, opposition parties should fix their own disorganisation and prepare effectively for elections under the new legal framework,” the statement said.