Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Thursday expressed concerns over what he described as uncertainty surrounding the authentic version of Nigeria’s Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The governor spoke while addressing Muslim faithful during the Ramadan breaking of fast (Iftah) held at the state Government House in Ibadan.
Makinde said he had yet to see the official Electoral Act reportedly assented to by the president, noting that conflicting versions of the law were allegedly in circulation.
“To be honest, as the governor of Oyo State and one out of the 36 in Nigeria, I am not sure what they brought out as the Electoral Act. I have not seen it and I have not laid my hand on it,” the governor said.
He added that the situation raises concern about the legal framework that would guide the conduct of the 2027 elections.
“If I, as the governor, have not seen the Electoral Act and they even said there were two versions out there, I do not know.
“I do not want to say everything, but if it is true, the people in charge must let the entire Nigeria know,” he said.
According to him, the Electoral Act serves as the primary legal reference for election administration and political participation in the country, making it necessary for all stakeholders to clearly understand the provisions guiding the next electoral cycle.
“That is like the reference book for the election in 2027. They should let us know and come clean.
“Bring out the Electoral Act, the one assented to by the president, so that we can all work according to that Act,” Makinde stated.
The governor also raised a similar concern regarding the country’s new tax legislation, saying there were reports of different versions of the law in without a clear official copy available to the public.
“Even the new tax law has two versions. I have not seen the official one. So help us appeal to those in charge. They should let us know which rule book we are playing with in 2027,” he added.
Makinde urged authorities responsible for the legislation to make the authentic versions of the laws public in the interest of transparency and clarity for political actors and the general public.