The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has taken a swipe at the National Assembly for removing the presentation of forged certificates as a ground for challenging election results in the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026.

Afenifere, in a statement by its leader and National Publicity Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and Mr Justice Faloye, described the legislative change as a retrogressive move that protects individuals with dubious academic backgrounds.

The Yoruba body said: “The act effectively constricts the democratic space by limiting the legal basis upon which election petitions can be filed. Under Section 138 of the 2026 Act, election petitions are now restricted to only two specific grounds: corruption or non-compliance with the law, and whether the winner received a majority of lawful votes.”

Afenifere pointed out that this omission contradicts the 1999 Constitution, which explicitly disqualifies any candidate who presents a forged certificate for public office.

The organisation expressed further alarm over new punitive financial penalties introduced in the law.

“These fines target petitioners and their lawyers who attempt to present cases based on grounds not specifically named in the Act, a move that is designed to discourage legal scrutiny of elected officials.

“We, therefore, call for an immediate withdrawal and re-enactment of the legislation to restore the forged certificate provision and strengthen the integrity of the voting process”, the statement added. (Vanguard)