The Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum has criticised the National Assembly over provisions in the Electoral Act 2026 as amended, particularly the exclusion of certificate forgery and qualification related issues as valid grounds for election petitions.
The group also called on the Federal Government to make public the full details of the amended legislation, rather than releasing its contents in fragments following presidential assent.
Speaking on behalf of the forum, its President, Akin Malaolu, raised concerns over Section 138(1) of the amended law, which limits election disputes to two grounds: claims of invalidity due to corrupt practices or non compliance with electoral provisions, and allegations that a candidate was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes.
He also referenced Section 138(3), which prescribes penalties of not less than N5 million for legal practitioners and N10 million for petitioners who file cases outside the permitted grounds.
According to the forum, the removal of qualification related issues, including allegations of certificate forgery, from admissible petition grounds marks a significant departure from previous electoral laws that allowed such challenges.
Malaolu stated that members of the forum had urged its leadership to take a position on the matter, leading to a detailed review of the new provisions and their implications for governance.
“We have reflected deeply on these provisions and undertaken a critical introspection of the quality of leadership in the present National Assembly, particularly its apparent failure to consider the implications of clauses that appear sympathetic to forgery,” he said.
He warned that any legal framework perceived to tolerate or shield forgery could encourage dishonesty, falsification and misrepresentation within society, particularly in the education sector.
“Fraud and forgery are not taught in schools, but they thrive when society fails to uphold standards that discourage them,” he added.
Malaolu emphasised the need to uphold legal and moral standards, noting that weakening such safeguards could have far reaching consequences for national integrity.
The forum further cautioned that Nigeria’s democratic institutions risk being undermined if the identified gaps in the legislation are not urgently addressed.
