The African Democratic Congress (ADC), a Nigerian opposition political party, has urged Nigeria’s National Assembly, the country’s federal parliament in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to quickly pass the Electoral Bill 2025, warning that further delays could weaken planned election reforms and raise questions about the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Saturday, 31 January 2026, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the slow pace of work on the bill could affect key improvements meant to reduce election manipulation, including electronic voter accreditation and the electronic transmission of results.
The ADC also accused lawmakers in the Senate, Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber, led by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling political party in Nigeria, of dragging their feet on the legislation. It warned against any attempt to weaken or stall provisions that support technology-based safeguards in voting and collation.
The party’s comments came after the Senate took a new step on Thursday, 29 January 2026, by setting up a seven-member ad hoc committee to review, harmonise and streamline senators’ views on proposed amendments to Nigeria’s election law. The lawmakers took the decision after a closed-door executive session that lasted about three hours, where they discussed the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill that is currently before the National Assembly.
Announcing the committee, Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the panel would bring together lawmakers’ positions and address outstanding disagreements in the amendment process. The committee is chaired by Niyi Adegbonmire, who also heads the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
In its statement, the ADC said the continuing delay on the Electoral Bill 2025 “suggests” that the legislature may be slowing down amendments designed to curb election rigging. Okay News reports that the party believes Nigeria needs adequate time to understand, implement and test the rules before the next nationwide polls.
The ADC said it was particularly worried that some proposed changes introduce new compliance and eligibility requirements that political parties must meet, and that rushing the process could create confusion for parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria’s electoral management body responsible for organising and conducting elections.
“The ADC also notes that some of the proposed amendments have introduced new compliance and eligibility requirements that need to be properly understood and met by political parties,” the party said, warning that unclear rules could become “booby traps for opposition political parties” and also make it harder for INEC to prepare and issue guidelines on time.
It pointed to an existing requirement that INEC publish election notices not later than 360 days before a general election, arguing that the time available is already limited and leaves “very little room for maneuver” if the bill continues to stall.
“The ADC therefore calls on the National Assembly to promptly pass the bill,” the party said, adding that any further delays could “pose a serious risk to the integrity of the 2027 general elections” and harm public confidence in the broader electoral process.
The party also appealed to civil society organisations, international partners and other political parties that support accountable democratic governance to press the National Assembly to act quickly, saying Nigeria cannot afford another election cycle without what it described as critical safeguards.
