The new Electoral Act Amendment bill has barred voters from challenging credentials submitted by political party’s candidates to INEC

The new Electoral Act Amendment bill has barred voters from challenging credentials submitted by political party’s candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in court. The bill, if signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, will permit only those who participated in the party primary to challenge in court the school certificates, the birth certificate and other credentials of a co-contestant.

The current Electoral Act law allows any person who doubts information provided by an electoral candidate to file a suit against such a person seeking a declaration that the information is false. In 2019, the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Douye Diri filed a suit, seeking the disqualification of the All Progressives Congress, David Lyon and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, over questionable school certificate of Degi-Eremienyo.

The Supreme Court agreed with the PDP and disqualified the APC despite the fact that the party had already been declared winner of the election. But should the new Electoral Act amendment be signed into law by the President, the Bayelsa state scenario will not be possible again.