Professor Pat Utomi has lamented the signing of the Electoral Act amendment bill into law by President Bola Tinubu.
Utomi said that the freedom he and his like minds fought for
in the 1990s was now completely dead.
He said that the good people of the country must start the
struggle for freedom afresh as it appeared Nigerians now have no say in matters
that affect them directly.
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swiftly signed the
over 120-page Electoral Act 2026 on Wednesday, raising fears among Nigerians
that the 2027 general elections could be a mess.
The President had at least 30 days to read through and
consult some of his appointees, including the INEC Chairman before deciding
either to sign or send the Act back to the National Assembly.
However, he signed it under 24 hours after it was brought to
him, and Prof Pat Utomi said Nigerians must now rise against “a cabal foisting
on us advance election rigging.”
He wrote on X, “Back in the 1990s I put my life on the line
that Nigeria may be free. Today it became clear that freedom has been murdered.
“I call on Concerned Professionals to return to the struggle
for the liberation of the Nigerian people from a cabal foisting on us advance
election rigging.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, has faulted the backlash that followed Tinubu’s assent to the
Electoral Act 2026, describing the criticism as politically motivated and
disconnected from the country’s national interest.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s
spokesperson, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, the Lagos APC said it observed with
“undisguised disappointment” what it characterised as an orchestrated outcry by
sections of the opposition over the President’s approval of the amended law.
The party maintained that governance is a constitutional
duty that must be exercised with prudence and responsibility, not shaped by
popularity contests, social media pressure or political theatrics.
Opposition groups had expressed reservations about
provisions of the amended Act, particularly those relating to the transmission
of election results, arguing that the law does not guarantee real-time
electronic transmission.
However, the Lagos APC rejected what it called a “
romanticised and misleading narrative” surrounding real-time transmission
models.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com