A Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, the Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, on Thursday lambasted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for hastily signing into law on Wednesday February 18, 2026, the controversial Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 barely 24 hours after it was passed by the National Assembly despite massive protestations and outrage.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, which raised strong objection to Clause 60(3) of the amended Act, permitting, the Independent National Electoral Commission to resort to the use of Form EC8A in situations where electronic transmission of results fail, accused Tinubu of desperation to remain in power in 2027, and having no regard for the aspiration of Nigerians.
A statement on Thursday by the Convener of the group, Olusola Badero, and released by its Home Director, Princess Balogun, accused the president of ridiculing Nigerians by hurriedly signing the deeply contentious amendment in spite of widespread public opposition.
It also berated the National Assembly leadership, especially the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, for ignoring the yearnings of Nigerians in order to satisfy the President’s request.
The statement contended that, “Tinubu is desperate to take over power in 2027. He has no regard for Nigerians’ requests and aspirations.
“Nigeria is for everyone, and no one is more superior than the poor people who elected you into power. You cannot subdue them to humiliation or overlook them simply because you occupy an office that their votes made possible. Yet, you subject them to ridicule.”
Lamenting that at a time the rest of the world is embracing digitalisation in electoral processes to ensure transparency, “Nigerian politicians still cling to old methods just to manipulate their way back into power because the people are fed up with them”.
The group was miffed that the contentious amendment was passed amid protests by concerned Nigerians who reportedly thronged the National Assembly complex in Abuja with the allegation that security operatives deployed teargas against demonstrators who demanded full electronic transmission of results ahead of the 2027 polls.
The statement posited that “Despite protests and teargas thrown at concerned Nigerians in front of the National Assembly, Akpabio and Abbas went ahead and passed the bill that the majority of Nigerians, both at home and abroad, rejected”.
Taking a swipe at Tinubu administration, the Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá said, “It is unfortunate that people who have no feeling for ordinary citizens are at the helm of affairs. It raises serious questions about whether Nigerians mean anything to these politicians.
“Tinubu’s government has no regard for the people of Nigeria. If he did, he would listen to their cries. But because he has chosen to be deaf and blind, he refused to heed the cries of oppressed citizens. Instead, he sent security operatives to teargas them for demanding accountability and transparency on electronic transmission of results ahead of the 2027 general elections.”
In an apparent rallying cry, the statement called on Nigerians to safeguard their permanent voter cards (PVCs) and prepare to vote out leaders they believe have failed or humiliated them.
According to the Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, “We call on Nigerians to keep their PVCs safe and use them to vote out all those who have failed and humiliated them, both publicly and privately. Nigerians must use their votes wisely in 2027 to elect competent leaders — people with conscience”.
Advocating a massive resistance against the ruling APC, the group emphasised that “Nigeria can be great again and reclaim its position as the Giant of Africa, but only if the will of the people is respected and protected”.