Electoral Act Debate Heats Up: Reuben Abati And Rufai Oseni Clash Over Akpabio And Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law just 24 hours after it was passed by the National Assembly, sparking widespread debate and controversy.

Commenting on the issue, Oseni argued that the Senate prioritizes the interests of President Tinubu over the people it is meant to represent.

“They passed the law mandating electronic transmission. When two arms of government are meant to be separate and the Senate President is loyal to the President, it becomes a problem for Nigeria because effective representation is compromised,” Oseni said.

He added, “With all due respect, the Senate doesn’t represent us; they serve the President’s interests. Let’s call a spade a spade. This is a democracy, not an authoritarian or military government.”

In contrast, Abati maintained that it was unrealistic to expect Senate President Godswill Akpabio to act against Tinubu, given that they belong to the same political party.

“Even in the United States, which is not a parliamentary system, party loyalty is expected. The opposition has a voice, but the majority party remains united,” Abati said.

He continued, “So what do you expect Senate President Akpabio to do? Go against his own party or oppose the president of the ruling party to which he belongs?”