A research analyst with the Centre for Democracy and Development, Dengiyefa Angalapu, has expressed concern over the removal of certificate forgery as a valid ground for filing election petitions in Nigeria’s amended Electoral Act 2026.
Angalapu warned that the amendment could weaken accountability within Nigeria’s electoral system by limiting the mechanisms available to challenge the eligibility of candidates after elections.
- Under Section 138 of the revised law, the conditions under which election results can be contested are clearly outlined. However, allegations of certificate forgery are no longer included among the recognised grounds for filing election petitions.
Speaking on the development, Angalapu described the change as troubling, noting that the credibility of elections should not only depend on how votes are cast but also on the integrity of those seeking public office.
He argued that claims of certificate forgery directly raise questions about a candidate’s honesty and qualification to occupy political positions, making the issue critical to electoral transparency.
According to the analyst, removing certificate forgery from the list of petition grounds could undermine one of the important tools used to scrutinise candidates and ensure accountability during the electoral process.
Angalapu further explained that election petitions remain a key avenue through which citizens, political parties, and other stakeholders challenge irregularities that may arise during elections.
He warned that preventing such allegations from being raised in election petitions could reduce scrutiny over candidates’ educational claims and other qualifications presented during campaigns.
The researcher also cautioned that the long-term impact of the amendment could be a decline in public trust in the electoral system if voters begin to feel that standards for those seeking public office are being weakened.
