Electoral Act Not Signed To Fit Serial Contestants, Showunmi Tells Atiku

The Convener of the Alternative Movement, Segun Showunmi, has lashed out at opposition leaders protesting the newly signed Electoral Act, insisting that the law was not designed to suit the thinking of those he described as “serial contestants.” Speaking on Friday while hosting the state leadership of the Action Alliance (AA) at his residence in […]

The Convener of the Alternative Movement, Segun Showunmi, has lashed out at opposition leaders protesting the newly signed Electoral Act, insisting that the law was not designed to suit the thinking of those he described as “serial contestants.”

Speaking on Friday while hosting the state leadership of the Action Alliance (AA) at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Showunmi said the Electoral Act was enacted for all Nigerians, including future aspirants.

He spoke in wake of the growing criticism from opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who, alongside other leaders, on Thursday, rejected the 2026 Electoral Act recently passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

At a press briefing in Abuja themed “Urgent Call to Save Nigeria’s Democracy,” opposition leaders, among them former Senate President, David Mark, former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, — described portions of the amended law as “anti-democratic” and called for fresh amendments.

But Showunmi dismissed their position as self-serving, accusing opposition leaders of lacking grassroots political strength.

“When we signed an electoral act, a new electoral act, we did not sign an electoral act so that it can fit the thinking of serial contestants. Every electoral act is signed for everybody, including future contestants.

“And it is beyond embarrassing that they have no capacity to go back to the grassroots to go and work for votes, yet they sit in every conference room screaming on top of their heads, ‘the electoral act is bad, the electoral act is not good. They will not do electronic transmission.’

“Have you even won the vote?,” he said.

Showunmi argued that rather than focus on alleged shortcomings in the Act, aspiring leaders should prioritize strengthening their internal party structures, especially in light of new primary requirements.

“Instead of them to be worried about the new requirement that says that primaries must not be done, you know, direct — which means all party members are going to participate in the primaries — or by a consensus, these people that are calling themselves potential presidents are not worried about how they are going to develop the electronic integrity of their own register, which I am thinking and worrying about now.”

He described some of the opposition figures as “Elders, over-recycled elements, serial contestants, just overheating the politics.”

Showunmi further warned that persistent claims that votes do not count could discourage voter participation.

“If you shout every day, ‘the vote do not count, the vote do not count, the vote do not count,’ why should people come out?” he asked.

Showunmi declared that the next election would be a “do or die affair,” clarifying that he was not advocating violence but seriousness of purpose.

“Do or die not in terms of going to kill people. Do or die in terms of the seriousness of what will happen next. The people that are in charge of the country now, calling themselves APC, they have practically subdued everybody.

“And this is just first step when they still need another validation and endorsement from us. What will then happen if we are careless? What will then happen if we don’t present good ideas? What will then happen if we don’t present good candidates? What will then happen if we don’t do the work?”, he said.

He maintained that electoral victories are built from the ground up.

“Elections cannot be won on social media, neither can it be won on television. Elections are won first from people making up their minds and their hopes.”

The State Chairman of AA, Prof Tunde Adebola, expressed the party’s commitment to working closely with Showunmi to achieve his governorship ambition in the forthcoming election.