Abuja, March 2, 2026 – Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike defended the 2026 Electoral Act on Monday, accusing former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi of hypocrisy over its electronic transmission provisions. Wike insisted the law does not scrap electronic transmission but adds flexibility for manual options when networks fail.
During a media chat, Wike highlighted Amaechi’s past opposition to electronic voting under former President Muhammadu Buhari. “Under Buhari, the issue of electronic voting came up; people like Rotimi Amaechi were in government; they said, ‘No, don’t sign; if you sign, you lose the election.’ This is the same person now calling for electronic transmission,” Wike said. He added that Amaechi refused it then because “his boss would be affected.”
Wike emphasized the act’s safeguard against disenfranchisement in network-poor areas: “They did not say there should not be electronic transmission. All they said is, ‘In case, which is likely, let us not disenfranchise people by not allowing their votes to be counted.’”
The former Rivers State governor also praised the act’s mandate for direct primaries in political parties, arguing indirect primaries empower wealthy politicians and party bosses who control structures.
