According to a report by The Cable on Saturday, May 16, 2026, Buba Galadima, the Secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the New Nigeria People’s Party, has stated that the proposed Electoral Act 2026 was crafted in a manner that would create difficulties for opposition political parties in the country.
He made the remarks while addressing political stakeholders at a summit organized for aspirants under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Abuja on Saturday.
During the gathering, Galadima also leveled accusations against the administration of President Bola Tinubu, alleging that democratic principles in Nigeria have been undermined under the current leadership.
He maintained that recent political developments reflect a deliberate weakening of democratic structures, especially as they affect opposition participation and electoral competitiveness.
He further alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress had established a committee even before the formal presentation of the electoral bill to the National Assembly.
According to him, the purpose of the committee was to prepare a draft legislative framework that would be favorable to the ruling party’s political interests once the bill reached the legislative stage.
Galadima also expressed concern over certain provisions contained in the proposed law, particularly those that relate to how political parties select their candidates for elections.
He argued that such provisions could influence internal party processes in ways that may not be beneficial to fair competition within political parties.
He noted that the prevailing political environment makes it difficult for parties to successfully conduct primaries without disruption, suggesting that such processes could be vulnerable to interference that might leave parties without clear candidates.
He emphasized that these challenges were central to his concerns about the structure and implications of the electoral framework being discussed.
He also stressed the importance of unity and loyalty within political parties, stating that members should rally around agreed decisions and support whoever emerges as candidates across constituencies.
According to him, maintaining cohesion and adherence to party leadership decisions remains essential for political stability and effective participation in elections.
He said, “The party cannot afford to do primaries because they will send people to disrupt everything and we end up without a candidate.
“So, it is better for us to maintain unity, to maintain loyalty to the party and to the decision of the elders of this party or the major stakeholders of all our constituencies that whoever emerges as a candidate for any constituency in this country, we will all support that person to succeed.”
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