Atiku faults ballot clause, seeks Electoral Act review

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday called on the National Assembly to urgently revisit the Electoral Act, warning that a contentious provision could undermine the credibility of elections if left unchecked.

He raised the concerns in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress specifically faulted Section 63 of the Act, which allows a ballot paper without an official mark to be counted at the discretion of a returning officer—a provision he said opens the door to manipulation.

According to him, lawmakers should have exercised greater diligence in protecting the sanctity of the ballot.

He said, “The leadership of the National Assembly should have been more cautious than casual in handling provisions that touch the very heart of our democracy.

“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.

“This is not a minor technical issue—it is a direct threat to electoral integrity.”

Continuing, Atiku warned that any legal provision that permits discretion in determining the validity of ballot papers creates a loophole that could be exploited to compromise the will of the people.

The Waziri Adamawa further noted that the controversial clause was not new but a carryover from previous electoral frameworks, retained in the current law without sufficient safeguards.

“A democracy cannot survive on ambiguity. A ballot must either meet the standard or it does not. The moment you leave such a critical decision to subjective judgment, you invite manipulation, dispute, and ultimately, chaos.

“At a time when Nigerians are demanding transparency and credibility, it is reckless to retain a clause that weakens confidence in the very foundation of democracy—the vote,” he added.

The former VP also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to tighten its operational guidelines to ensure that electoral officers are not placed in situations where personal judgment could override verifiable standards.

He also urged the international community, election observers and democratic partners to keep a close watch on Nigeria’s electoral legal framework, noting that the credibility of future elections depends as much on the law as on the process.

“The world is watching. Nigeria must not send a signal that its electoral system can be bent by interpretation. The President, Bola Tinubu, also bears a duty to subject every critical legislation to rigorous scrutiny before appending his signature.