Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated it will not publicly contest recent amendments to the Electoral Act, citing respect for the National Assembly’s constitutional authority to make laws. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, explained this position in a television interview, rejecting suggestions that the APC benefits from the changes.
Speaking on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’, Morka emphasized that the Electoral Act is the product of collective legislative work, not a partisan initiative. He noted that the law, recently amended and signed by the President, already governs the electoral process. “The APC isn’t the National Assembly,” Morka said. “We’re also affected by the Act’s mandatory e-register for parties. I don’t know where the opposition thinks we have an advantage or are skewing the process in our favour.”
He underscored that the National Assembly comprises elected representatives from all political parties. While acknowledging the APC holds a majority in the legislature, Morka argued this does not automatically taint the legislation. “Yes, we are in a majority, no doubt. But that does not mean that the Act of the National Assembly must then necessarily be ascribed or becomes ascribable to the APC. That will be a flaw which is unfair and actually even nonsensical,” he stated.
Morka’s comments address criticisms from some opposition figures who have raised concerns about the amendments. Without naming individuals, he referred to recent remarks by an opposition commentator, Kenneth Okonkwo, stating he was unsure of the basis for such claims. The core of the APC’s defense rests on the principle that a law duly passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President must be respected as legitimate.
The amendments to the Electoral Act introduce several changes, including the mandatory electronic registration of political parties and other reforms aimed at strengthening electoral administration. The process involved extensive debates and committee reviews across both chambers of the National Assembly before the final version was harmonized and forwarded to the President for assent.
By framing its quiet stance as a matter of constitutional respect, the APC contrasts its approach with what it characterizes as the opposition’s vocal protests. The party insists it has no cause to “intimidate anyone” over the law, as it now operates as a binding statute for all participants in Nigeria’s democratic process.
The significance of this position lies in its reinforcement of institutional boundaries between political parties and the legislature. As Nigeria prepares for future electoral cycles, the APC’s stance highlights a concerted effort to project adherence to the rule of law and the independence of the National Assembly, even when it holds a numerical advantage. The law, now in effect, sets the framework for party operations and election conduct, underscoring a settled, albeit debated, regulatory environment for the immediate future.
