Legal and political stakeholders have criticised the Electoral Act 2026 for removing certificate forgery as a ground for election petitions, warning the change could weaken democratic accountability.
The removal of certificate forgery as a ground for election petitions in the Electoral Act 2026 has sparked criticism from legal experts and political stakeholders who warn the move could weaken democratic accountability. The amended law limits election challenges to issues such as corrupt practices, non-compliance with the Act or disputes over lawful votes, while imposing fines of at least N5 million on lawyers and N10 million on petitioners who file cases outside recognised grounds.
Senior lawyer Jibrin Okutepa described the change as an “outrage,” arguing that qualification issues such as forged certificates have historically been valid grounds for election petitions and are rooted in the Constitution. While critics including Peter Ameh and Aminu Yakudima warned the amendment could undermine education and democratic integrity, political scientist Bernard Mikko said constitutional provisions on candidate qualifications remain intact, with Independent National Electoral Commission urging parties to thoroughly screen candidates.
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