Atiku Raises Concern Over Section 63 of Electoral Act, Calls for Review

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for an urgent review of the Electoral Act, raising concerns that a provision on ballot validation could weaken public confidence in elections.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku focused on Section 63 of the Act. The clause allows a returning officer to decide whether to accept a ballot paper that does not carry an official mark.

He argued that the provision gives room for subjective interpretation and could open the door to manipulation during vote collation.

According to him, electoral laws should avoid ambiguity in areas that directly affect how votes are counted.

“A ballot paper is not an ordinary piece of paper—it is a legal instrument whose authenticity is central to the credibility of the entire electoral process,” the statement read.

He added that leaving such decisions to individual discretion could lead to disputes and weaken trust in election outcomes.

Atiku noted that the provision was not new, explaining that it was retained from earlier electoral laws without what he described as sufficient safeguards.

He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen its guidelines to ensure that election officials rely on clear standards rather than personal judgment when assessing ballots.

Beyond domestic institutions, he called on international observers and democratic partners to closely monitor Nigeria’s electoral framework, stressing that legal structure plays a key role in election credibility.

President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) into law on February 18 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, a day after the National Assembly passed the bill. The signing ceremony was attended by leaders of the legislature.