2027: Rigging has begun – Atiku slams Senate over Electoral Act Amendments delay

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Senate of deliberately frustrating efforts to amend the Electoral Act 2022, warning that failure to reform the law could fatally undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

In a post shared on his verified X page, Atiku described the 2023 general elections as a “major setback,” blaming loopholes in the Electoral Act 2022 for enabling what he called brazen electoral rigging and making it nearly impossible for petitioners to successfully prosecute election cases in court.

According to him, meaningful reform of the legal framework governing elections is the only way to prevent a repeat of the flaws witnessed in 2023.

“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 stated.

Atiku, however, expressed concern that the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, appears unwilling to fast-track the necessary amendments.

“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 said.

He also referenced a recent investigative report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), describing it as both an indictment of the Senate and a call for urgent legislative responsibility.

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

The former presidential candidate stressed that the amended law must be finalised and in force before the 2027 elections, insisting that any delay would amount to a deliberate attempt to compromise the process long before voting begins.

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