The #FixPolitics Initiative has described the newly signed Electoral Reform Law as a setback for Nigeria’s democracy, calling for its immediate reversal.
At a press conference held on Tuesday in Abuja, the group said the version of the Electoral Reform Bill passed by the National Assembly of Nigeria and signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu weakens the provision for real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Addressing journalists, the group’s Executive Director, Anthony Ubani, said the law represents a backward step at a time when Nigerians are demanding greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
According to the group, real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units is a critical democratic safeguard. It argued that such a system protects results at their most vulnerable point, reduces human interference, and strengthens public confidence in elections.
“To weaken it is to weaken trust,” the group stated, warning that declining public trust in elections could endanger Nigeria’s democracy.
The civic organisation said the law was passed despite widespread public opposition, peaceful protests across the country, and calls from civil society organisations and election observers for stronger transparency measures.
FixPolitics therefore urged the National Assembly to urgently initiate corrective legislation that would make real-time electronic transmission of results mandatory and non-negotiable. It also called on President Tinubu to support swift amendments to restore full transparency to the electoral system.
The group warned that failure to reverse the law could leave a lasting question mark over the credibility of future elections, stressing that power in a democracy is granted and sustained by citizens through trust.
While firmly opposing the new law, the organisation urged Nigerians to remain peaceful, lawful, and vigilant, encouraging sustained civic engagement and lawful action in defence of democratic values.
“We are not calling for chaos. We are calling for correction,” the statement concluded, insisting that Nigeria cannot afford another cycle of disputed elections or reforms that weaken public confidence in the voting process.
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