Human rights lawyer and political activist Kenneth Okonkwo has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating skewed electoral amendments out of fear the party may implode.
Speaking on ARISE NEWS Tuesday, Okonkwo argued that recent changes to Nigeria’s electoral law were designed to weaken opposition parties rather than strengthen democracy.
He pointed to Section 77, which requires political parties to maintain a digital membership register containing names, addresses, polling units, and National Identification Numbers.
Okonkwo explained that the new act requires parties must submit the register to INEC 21 days before primaries, and anyone not listed cannot vote or be voted for.
“All these things are to cage in the political parties. They said any party that does not submit that register is not eligible to field candidates. These are booby traps,” he said.
He alleged that APC used its majority muscle in the National Assembly to introduce the rules for self-preservation, making it difficult for aggrieved members to defect and contest under other parties.
“They know APC will implode, and they are imposing dubious direct primaries on all parties,” he added.
Nigeria’s Democracy Under Threat
Okonkwo also warned that Nigeria is “tilting towards anarchy,” citing the recent Federal Capital Territory municipal elections.
He claimed the vote was conducted under a law introduced just three days before the election, which in any case had not even been gazetted.
He further alleged that the sudden curfew placed by the FCT authorities on the eve of the election was intended at voter suppression by scaring away voters.
The entire process was engineered to be chaotic, in his viewpoint.
He maintained that democracy is under threat if electoral laws are used to entrench ruling party interests rather than ensure fairness for all contestants.
Okonkwo, previously a movie star, is also a member of the National Working Committee of the opposition, African Democratic Congress (ADC).
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