Title: Wike Blasts Amaechi, Opposition for ‘Double Standards’ on Electoral Act Date Published: 02 March 2026 Description: The Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has accused former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and other opposition figures of hypocrisy over debates surrounding the recently signed Electoral Act 2026.Speaking to journalists on Monday, Wike responded to criticisms by opposition parties, who had rejected a clause in the new law allowing manual transmission of election results when electronic systems fail due to poor network coverage.“Remember, under President Buhari, the issue of electronic transmission came up. People like Rotimi Amaechi, when they were in government, said, ‘Don’t sign; if you sign, you lose the election,’” Wike said. “And now the same person is publicly advocating electronic transmission. Their opposition was simply because it did not favour their boss.”The minister emphasized that the new law does not abolish electronic transmission but introduces safeguards to ensure votes are counted even when technology fails. “All they said is that, in case of network failure, let us not disenfranchise voters by preventing their votes from being counted,” he explained.Wike also defended another provision of the law mandating political parties to conduct direct primaries for candidate selection. He argued that the previous indirect primary system allowed wealthy politicians, including governors and ministers, to dominate party structures, limiting the influence of ordinary members.“The direct primary model introduced in the new law addresses that imbalance, giving party members more say in nominations,” Wike said.He further criticised what he called a culture of “constant complaints” among Nigerians, noting that many who once opposed indirect primaries for empowering elites are now opposing reforms designed to broaden participation.Opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigerian Peoples Party, had urged the National Assembly to initiate a fresh amendment process, describing some clauses in the Electoral Act 2026 as “obnoxious” and “anti-democratic.”Wike’s remarks underscore the ongoing tension between the government and opposition over electoral reforms, highlighting contrasting approaches to technology, voter protection, and party democracy in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape. Attached Images: ed2525dd205e1965fbfd880b79180ecbbbcf82e9c6995f7166d00f50da8d2308.jpg Attached Video: None