A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has cautioned opposition parties against what he described as scaremongering capable of weakening public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Speaking to journalists in Enugu over the weekend, Okechukwu urged political actors to refrain from rhetoric that could discourage voter participation or undermine democratic institutions. He warned that democracy becomes the “ultimate casualty” when stakeholders deploy alarmist narratives that erode citizens’ trust in the electoral system.
Okechukwu advised opposition leaders to focus on strengthening their political structures rather than engaging in blame games. He pointed to the organisational strategy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as an example of effective nationwide mobilisation and party loyalty. He also referenced the late Muhammadu Buhari, noting that adherence to internal party democracy and zoning conventions had previously fostered stability within the ruling party.
Addressing concerns about the proposed Electoral Act 2026, Okechukwu acknowledged that the legislation may have shortcomings but argued against dismissing it entirely. He maintained that the new bill represents progress compared to the repealed Electoral Act 2022, particularly regarding the transmission of election results.
According to him, while the 2022 Act required presiding officers to transfer results “in a manner prescribed” by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it did not explicitly mandate electronic transmission. In contrast, he said the 2026 proposal makes electronic transmission of polling unit results to the IReV portal compulsory after the signing of Form EC8A, with a fallback provision recognising the hand-signed form as the primary legal document if technical issues arise.
Okechukwu stressed that democratic development is gradual rather than abrupt, calling on opposition leaders to embrace patriotism, patience, and institutional strengthening.
He also dismissed allegations that the APC is steering the country toward a one-party state, attributing such claims to what he described as anti-democratic tendencies within the former leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), particularly over disputes surrounding zoning and rotation during the 2022 presidential primaries.
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