OSOGBO— THE pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has taken a swipe on the Nationwide Meeting for eradicating the presentation of cast certificates as a floor for difficult election leads to the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026.
Afenifere, in a press release by its chief and Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and Mr Justice Faloye, described the legislative change as a retrogressive transfer that protects people with doubtful educational backgrounds.
The Yoruba physique mentioned: “The act successfully constricts the democratic area by limiting the authorized foundation upon which election petitions could be filed. Beneath Part 138 of the 2026 Act, election petitions at the moment are restricted to solely two particular grounds: corruption or non-compliance with the regulation, and whether or not the winner obtained a majority of lawful votes.”
Afenifere identified that this omission contradicts the 1999 Structure, which explicitly disqualifies any candidate who presents a cast certificates for public workplace.
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The organisation expressed additional alarm over new punitive {financial} penalties launched within the regulation.
“These fines goal petitioners and their attorneys who try and current circumstances primarily based on grounds not particularly named within the Act, a transfer that’s designed to discourage authorized scrutiny of elected officers.
“We, due to this fact, name for a direct withdrawal and re-enactment of the laws to revive the cast certificates provision and strengthen the integrity of the voting course of”, the assertion added.
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