APC Warns Opposition Against Misleading Narratives on Tinubu’s Assent to Electoral Act

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday cautioned opposition parties against spreading misleading narratives over President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the amended Electoral Act 2026, recently passed by the National Assembly. The party stressed that governance “transcends emotion” and should not be reduced to “digital propaganda and orchestrated hysteria.”

In a statement issued in Lagos, the Lagos APC Spokesman, Mr. Seye Oladejo, described the opposition’s reaction to the President’s assent as both disappointing and misleading.

“The Lagos State Chapter of the APC has watched with undisguised disappointment the orchestrated hysteria by sections of the opposition over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the Electoral Act 2026,” Oladejo said.

He added, “Governance is not a popularity contest, nor is it a theatre for digital propaganda. It is a serious constitutional duty carried out in the best interest of the Nigerian people.”

Oladejo criticized the opposition’s claims regarding real-time transmission models in other countries, noting that similar systems have faced technological glitches, legal ambiguities, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and judicial reversals.

“Across several democracies where similar systems were experimented with, these challenges exposed the dangers of elevating political convenience above systemic integrity. Yet, our opposition continues to market half-truths as gospel,” he said.

The APC spokesman also questioned the assumption of “exclusive wisdom” by opposition elements on electoral reforms, asking, “Since when did electoral reform become the exclusive intellectual property of those who have consistently demonstrated administrative inconsistency when entrusted with responsibility?”

Oladejo emphasized that President Tinubu’s assent followed due constitutional process, legislative debate, and institutional consultation. “Reform must be thoughtful, sustainable, and legally defensible – not reactionary or driven by social media pressure,” he said.

The party further warned against weaponizing public sentiment, highlighting that electoral integrity depends on credibility and strong institutions. “Electoral integrity cannot be built on fragile systems designed more for headlines than for durability. Responsible governance requires anticipating risks before they mature into crises,” Oladejo stated.

While acknowledging the importance of opposition in a democracy, Oladejo maintained that it should not “descend into distortion.” He concluded, “Those who could not build durable electoral confidence when given the chance should refrain from lecturing those who are taking decisive steps to secure it. Governance transcends emotion. It demands maturity over melodrama, substance over spectacle, and nation over narrative.”