Electoral Act 2026: Outrage as Certificate Forgery Is Removed as Ground for Election Petitions

Nigeria’s amended Electoral Act 2026 has dropped certificate forgery as a ground for post‑election petitions, drawing sharp pushback from lawyers, analysts, and stakeholders. INEC confirms the change and says forgery disputes now fall under pre‑election matters. Section 138 limits challenges to corrupt practices, non‑compliance with the Act, or not being duly elected by a majority of lawful votes. Acts that only breach INEC directives do not qualify. Petitions filed on unrecognised grounds attract fines of at least N5m for counsel and N10m for petitioners. Section 139 keeps elections valid where substantial compliance is proven. SAN Jibrin Okutepa calls the move an outrage and argues that qualifications are constitutional, not for ordinary law to weaken. PDP’s Aminu Yakudima and former IPAC chair Peter Ameh say the change undermines merit, education, and accountability in leadership. Ex‑lawmaker Bernard Mikko counters that the Constitution already covers qualifications, so the core legal position stands unless it is amended. INEC urges parties to thoroughly vet candidates’ credentials ahead of 2027, as forgery claims should be resolved before elections.

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