Group Condemns National Assembly for Excluding Certificate Forgery from Election Petitions
A prominent socio-political organization from the South-west region, the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, has strongly criticized the National Assembly for its decision to omit certificate forgery and qualification issues as valid grounds for election petitions in the newly amended Electoral Act 2026. The group has also urged the Federal Government to release the complete details of the law publicly, rather than providing it in fragmented sections since its enactment.
Statement Highlights Concerns Over Electoral Act Amendments
In a recent statement issued yesterday, the president of the forum, Akin Malaolu, expressed deep concern over Section 138 (1) of the amended Act. This section specifies that an election can only be challenged based on two primary grounds: whether it was invalid due to corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Act, or whether the respondent was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast. Malaolu emphasized that this represents a significant shift from previous electoral frameworks, where allegations of certificate forgery and qualification discrepancies were recognized as legitimate bases for election petitions.
Furthermore, subsection (3) of the same section imposes substantial penalties, including fines of not less than N5 million for legal counsel and N10 million for petitioners who file cases outside these stipulated grounds. The group argues that this omission effectively shields individuals accused of forgery related to educational requirements for elective offices, potentially undermining the integrity of the electoral process.
Criticism of Lawmakers and Call for Transparency
Malaolu did not mince words in his criticism of the lawmakers, accusing them of showing sympathy towards criminal acts such as forgery in the context of educational prerequisites for political positions. He stressed that this move could erode public trust in the electoral system and called for greater accountability and transparency from the National Assembly. The Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum insists that the full text of the Electoral Act 2026 should be made available to the public without delay to ensure proper scrutiny and understanding of its implications.
The group's stance highlights ongoing debates about electoral reforms and the need to maintain robust checks and balances to prevent fraud and uphold democratic standards in Nigeria's political landscape.
