Deji Adeyanju, lawyer and activist, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assenting to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
In a video circulating on social media, Adeyanju argued that Tinubu signed the bill because it would favour him politically.
“I commend the president for quickly signing what will favor him. Or are you not commending the president for signing what will favor him? If you reach your turn, no sign now. So the president has signed what is going to favor him,” he said.
‘This Is Politics’
Adeyanju described the president’s decision as a calculated political move.
“So this is politics. The president is playing politics. But this is not what the situation should be,” he said.
He stressed that leaders must put national interest above party or personal ambition.
“The situation should be about putting the interests of the country first, not the interests of your political party, not the interests of your own ambition,” he added.
Comparison With Jonathan
Furthermore, Adeyanju drew a comparison with former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He recalled that Jonathan introduced the card reader and supported other electoral reforms ahead of the 2015 election.
According to him, those reforms strengthened transparency but contributed to Jonathan’s defeat.
“I think this is what Jonathan did in 2015. That’s when Jonathan lost the election. Jonathan allowed card reader and other innovative things to happen. And that’s why he lost the election,” he said.
“So President Tinubu is showing that he is not Jonathan.”
‘Taking Us Back’
Adeyanju warned that the amendment could reverse electoral gains.
“No matter how you look at it, this is taking us back to the era where people can just write results and announce. And it is very most unfortunate,” he said.
He also defended the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), insisting that the technology can function effectively.
“What are you telling me? The BVAS technology can deliver results, whether there is internet or no internet,” he said.
In addition, he dismissed claims that technical challenges justify the amendment. He described such explanations as unconvincing.
Adeyanju argued that a ruling party confident in its popularity should not fear transparency.
“The only reason that I am giving is, oh, if, and after all, everybody is reflecting to APC, so what’s the fear about?” he said.
