Kwankwasiyya Warns Nigeria Sliding Toward One-Party State as Tinubu Signs Electoral Act Amendment 2026

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The Kwankwasiyya Movement has issued a strong warning that Nigeria may be drifting toward one-party dominance under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following President Bola Tinubu’s swift signing of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law.

The amendment revises key provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, Nigeria’s principal electoral framework. President Tinubu assented to the bill on February 19, 2026, just days after its passage by the National Assembly—sparking criticism from opposition figures and civil society groups.

In a statement signed by spokesperson Habibu Sale Mohammed, Ph.D., the movement described the rapid legislative process as evidence of the risks posed by overwhelming one-party control of both the executive and legislature. According to the group, despite nationwide protests and calls for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, the amended law retained manual collation as a fallback in cases of technical failure.

Critics argue that the retention of manual processes could weaken safeguards against electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections. The APC-dominated National Assembly, however, has defended the amendments as necessary to address practical gaps in the electoral system.

The Kwankwasiyya Movement—closely associated with former Kano State Governor and leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso—also raised concerns about increasing defections by elected officials from opposition parties to the APC.

According to the group, such defections distort democratic representation because elected mandates belong to the electorate rather than individual politicians. It warned that the shrinking space for opposition weakens legislative oversight and reduces checks and balances that are vital to a healthy democracy.

“Democracy rarely collapses suddenly,” the statement noted. “It erodes gradually through normalization of opportunistic defections, shrinking institutional opposition, and laws that fail to reflect the popular will.”

The movement urged elected officials to prioritize loyalty to citizens over political convenience and called on Nigerians to remain vigilant, peaceful, and engaged in protecting democratic institutions.

Similar concerns have been expressed by other opposition parties, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), alongside civil society organizations that have staged demonstrations at the National Assembly demanding stronger electoral transparency.

As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, debates over the Electoral Act Amendment 2026 and growing APC dominance are expected to intensify. Political analysts say the coming months will be critical in determining whether the reforms strengthen or weaken public trust in Nigeria’s democratic process.