President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday defended his decision to sign the Electoral Act 2026 into law, saying he had “no option” but to assent after it was passed by an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly.
Speaking at an interfaith breakfast with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee, state executives, and members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) at the Presidential Villa, Tinubu said his action was guided by his commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
“That I signed the Electoral Act, I have no choice. I don’t want to throw the country into turmoil of argument,” Tinubu said, responding to concerns raised by IPAC over some provisions of the amended law.
He noted that the National Assembly had passed the law with a strong majority, leaving him little room to reject it. “If I have serious question or reservation about it, I would have raised it. But I have none. I submitted myself to the principle of rule of law and democracy. I signed, the rest is history. We’ll meet at the polls,” he added.
The President stressed that democratic principles require respect for majority decisions while allowing minority voices to be heard. “The rule of law must prevail in any democracy. Majority will have their say and their way, and minority will have their say and might not have their way. That is the sweetness, the essence of democracy,” Tinubu said.
He urged politicians to resolve disagreements through intellectual debate rather than confrontation. “Argue it, debate it intellectually, interrogate each other honestly and sincerely, but we are committed to the same thing — peace and stability of the country,” he said.
Tinubu also highlighted his democratic credentials, describing himself as a “die-hard democrat” who had paid his dues during the military era. He recalled enduring detention, protests, and exile, and playing a key role in the formation of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) to restore democratic rule.
“We are all democrats and we subscribed to this democracy voluntarily and willingly. Some of us have the bruises from it — detention, protests, exile. We formed NADECO. We got here,” he said.
Earlier, Yusuf Dantalle, national chairman of IPAC, commended Tinubu’s leadership but expressed concerns over aspects of the Electoral Act.
He highlighted challenges for smaller parties, including the requirement to submit digital membership registers with National Identification Numbers (NIN) 21 days before primaries, the abolition of indirect primaries, and the withdrawal of government subventions.
Dantalle also appealed to the federal government to assist IPAC in relocating from its current rented office accommodation.
In closing, Tinubu emphasised that political competition must remain within democratic limits. “The game is sweet only when you are winning. But we must accommodate one another, strengthen the platform and remain committed to peace, stability and the rule of law,” he said.
