The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched a blistering attack on the recently amended Electoral Act 2026, describing the changes as a deliberate “act of treachery” against Nigerian voters and a threat to democratic integrity. The opposition party’s condemnation came shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the amended law at the Presidential Villa in Abuja this week, following its passage through the National Assembly.

In an emphatic statement released by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP accused both chambers of the National Assembly of betraying the collective will of Nigerians by weakening critical provisions designed to enhance transparency in elections. At the core of the controversy is the amendment’s dilution of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units — a reform many civil society groups, activists, and opposition figures had championed as vital for reducing fraud and manipulation.

“The anti-democratic stance of the Senate and the sudden somersault by the House of Representatives on the amendment — specifically on the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from polling units — is an act of treachery against the Nigerian electorate,” the party said, accusing lawmakers of showing “disdain for the Nigerian people who voted them into office.”

The PDP slammed what it termed “weak, illogical, and insulting” rationales offered by legislators for the changes, insisting that removing stronger transparency safeguards could open the door to election manipulation. The party warned that the amendment fundamentally undermines democratic norms and public trust in the electoral process.

Beyond the electronic transmission issue, the PDP criticised other elements of the amended Act, including provisions restricting party primaries to Direct or Consensus methods. The party argued this limits the autonomy of political parties — a principle repeatedly upheld by Nigeria’s Supreme Court.

Ememobong’s statement also claimed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) — which initiated many of the changes — is motivated by a fear of losing in a free and fair election, asserting that a genuinely transparent process would reflect poorly on the party’s political fortunes.

In closing, the PDP urged Nigerians, organised labour, and civil society organisations to utilise lawful means to challenge the amendment and defend the democratic gains achieved over years of electoral reform.