President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday pushed back against calls by opposition parties for further amendment of the recently passed Electoral Act, declaring that the law must stand in the interest of democratic order and respect for the rule of law.
Tinubu spoke at the State House, Abuja, while hosting leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee and executives of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to an interfaith dinner marking the ongoing Muslim Ramadan and Christian Lenten seasons.
Responding directly to appeals raised by the IPAC leadership during the gathering, the President said he had already fulfilled his constitutional duty by signing the amendment passed by the National Assembly and could not reopen the matter.
According to him, democracy requires political actors to accept the decisions of lawful institutions, even when such decisions are not suiting their personal taste.
“I’m glad we are all democrats and we all subscribed to this democracy voluntarily. 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.
The President added that he had no reservations about the legislation when it was presented to him and therefore signed it to avoid unnecessary national controversy, pointing out the fact that the Act was passed by an overwhelming majority of the two chambers of the Legislature.
“That I signed the Electoral Act, I had no choice. I don’t want to throw the country into turmoil of argument.
“There is an overwhelming majority by the National Assembly that passed the law. If I had serious questions or reservations about it, I would have raised them. 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 said.
Tinubu reminded political leaders that democratic competition should be pursued through debate and electoral contests rather than attempts to undermine legal processes.
“The game is sweet only when you are winning. But we must accommodate one another and strengthen the democratic platform. There must be peace, stability and commitment to the rule of law”, he remarked.
Earlier, IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, had used the occasion to reiterate concerns among opposition parties over certain provisions of the amended Electoral Act and appealed to the President to intervene.
Dantalle acknowledged Tinubu’s democratic credentials and praised his inclusive leadership style but said some clauses in the new law could pose challenges for smaller political parties.
He specifically cited the mandatory inclusion of identification numbers for party members and the removal of indirect primaries as an option for candidate nomination, arguing that the timeframe for compliance could disenfranchise many participants.
“The only problem we have is the timeframe. It is too close to the election and will be difficult for parties to meet up”, Dantalle said.
He also noted that many smaller parties lack the resources required to conduct nationwide direct primaries.
“Some of our parties do not have the financial capacity that larger parties have. The logistics of conducting direct primaries across the country will be difficult,” he said, appealing to the President to review the situation.
The IPAC chairman further called for the restoration of government subventions to political parties and requested federal support in providing a permanent office accommodation for the council.
Despite the concerns, Dantalle reaffirmed IPAC’s commitment to democratic stability and support for the administration.
“If the government succeeds, it is to our favour as Nigerians; if it fails, it is our detriment. IPAC will never be used by anybody to truncate democracy”, he said.
In his remarks, APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, praised the President for bringing together leaders of various political parties and faiths, describing the gathering as a symbol of unity in Nigeria’s democratic system.
He said the interfaith dinner demonstrated that political differences need not undermine national cohesion.
“We only have differences in political affiliations, but we share a common faith in this country,” Yilwatda said.
The APC chairman also expressed confidence in Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the administration’s policies were gradually stabilising the economy and putting Nigeria on the path of growth and prosperity.
“We believe in the Renewed Hope agenda. You have taken bold steps to reform this country for the common prosperity of Nigerians,” he said.