Isaac Fayose, younger brother of former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose, has condemned the current state of Nigeria’s democracy, declaring that the country has effectively returned to a one-party system following what he described as the systematic dismantling of electoral safeguards and institutional checks.
In a video statement shared on his Instagram page on Wednesday, Fayose expressed frustration over recent legislative developments, particularly the Senate’s rejection of proposals to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory, warning that the opposition now faces insurmountable obstacles in future elections.
“Opposition is gone, ADC is dead on arrival. Peter Obi can never be president. Nobody can be president again unless they select you,” he said in the video, referring to the African Democratic Congress and the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
His remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing controversy surrounding the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, which has drawn sharp criticism from civil society organisations, opposition parties, and sections of the media. According to a report by Vanguard, the Senate recently passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill after its third reading but rejected a proposed amendment to Clause 60(3), which sought to mandate electronic transmission of election results nationwide.
The rejection of electronic transmission has reignited debate over the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process, particularly following widespread complaints about the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System during the 2023 general elections. The BVAS, introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission under the Electoral Act 2022, was designed to verify voters biometrically and transmit results electronically in real time to reduce manipulation and enhance transparency.
However, stakeholders have accused INEC of failing to upload results promptly during the presidential and governorship elections, leading to allegations of result manipulation in several states. The controversy has persisted in tribunals and courts across the country, with petitioners citing the failure of BVAS and result transmission as grounds for nullifying election outcomes.
Fayose criticised the National Assembly, especially the Senate, for what he described as a deliberate weakening of the electoral framework put in place under previous administrations. He claimed that reforms introduced during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who signed the Electoral Act 2010 and initiated moves toward electronic voting and result transmission, had been discarded.
“We’ve finally lost Nigeria. Electoral reform is gone. Even what former President Goodluck Jonathan started has been thrown into the dustbin. No more BVAS. Whatever they tell you is the result,” he stated.
The push for electronic transmission of results has been a contentious issue in Nigeria’s political landscape since 2021, when the National Assembly initially resisted its inclusion in the Electoral Act. Civil society groups, including the Situation Room coalition and Yiaga Africa, have consistently advocated for the mandatory use of technology in elections to reduce human interference and enhance public confidence in the process.
In 2021, the Senate had voted against a clause that would have made electronic transmission of results compulsory, citing infrastructural deficits and poor network coverage in parts of the country. The decision sparked nationwide protests and drew condemnation from opposition parties, who accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of seeking to retain control over the electoral process. Following public pressure, a compromise was reached that allowed INEC discretion to transmit results electronically where feasible, a provision that was ultimately included in the Electoral Act signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in February 2022.
The latest amendment bill, however, appears to have revived those tensions. Reports indicate that lawmakers voted down provisions that would have strengthened electronic transmission and expanded the use of BVAS, raising concerns among opposition figures and observers that the ruling party may be seeking to consolidate power ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Fayose went further to accuse the judiciary of becoming weakened and compromised, arguing that the political system no longer provides effective checks and balances. He expressed concern that the judiciary, which has historically served as a final arbiter in election disputes, has lost its independence and capacity to deliver justice.
“We are now back to a one-party state, one family to rule us forever. This is sad, the saddest day of my life,” he lamented.
Nigeria’s post-independence political history has witnessed periods of one-party dominance, most notably during the Second Republic under the National Party of Nigeria, which controlled the federal government and several states between 1979 and 1983. The collapse of that republic was partly attributed to electoral malpractice, political repression, and the weakening of opposition structures. Similarly, during military rule, political activity was either banned outright or heavily regulated, leaving little room for genuine democratic competition.
The return to civilian rule in 1999 under the Fourth Republic saw the People’s Democratic Party dominate national politics for 16 years, controlling the presidency, the National Assembly, and a majority of state governments. Critics often described that era as a “dominant-party system,” though opposition parties remained active and competitive at state levels. The emergence of the APC in 2015 was widely celebrated as a victory for opposition politics, marking the first time an opposition party would defeat a sitting president in Nigeria’s history.
However, since assuming power, the APC has faced accusations of attempting to weaken opposition structures through control of state institutions, particularly INEC, security agencies, and the judiciary. Opposition parties have also complained of defections orchestrated by the ruling party, the use of state resources to fund campaigns, and selective prosecution of political opponents by anti-corruption agencies.
Beyond electoral issues, Fayose also raised concerns about the state of governance in the country, citing what he described as the collapse of critical sectors including healthcare, security, and the judiciary. He pointed to low remuneration for doctors, many of whom have left the country in droves in search of better opportunities abroad, as well as the worsening insecurity that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.
“The judiciary is weakened, doctors are poorly paid, insecurity is everywhere. This country is gone,” he added.
The mass emigration of Nigerian doctors, popularly referred to as “japa,” has become a national crisis in recent years. According to data from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, over 5,600 Nigerian-trained doctors left the country between 2016 and 2023, with the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Saudi Arabia being the primary destinations. The exodus has left many public hospitals understaffed and overstretched, worsening healthcare delivery in a country already battling high maternal and infant mortality rates.
Security challenges have also escalated significantly in recent years. Banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and communal clashes have ravaged communities across the North-West, North-Central, North-East, and South-East regions. Despite repeated government assurances, attacks on villages, schools, and highways have continued, with ransom payments running into billions of naira annually, according to reports by security analysts.
Fayose’s critique mirrors concerns raised by several political figures and civil society groups in recent weeks. Chibuike Nwankwo, national chairman of the ADC, recently urged Nigerians to speak out against what he called a “dangerous” Electoral Act amendment, warning that the changes could facilitate large-scale electoral fraud in 2027. Similarly, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Adewale Adeoye, accused the Senate of designing amendments that would enable rigging, particularly through the removal of safeguards such as mandatory BVAS accreditation and electronic result transmission.
The ruling APC has not issued an official response to these allegations, though some pro-government commentators have argued that the amendments are necessary to address logistical and technical challenges encountered during the 2023 elections. They have also pointed out that INEC retains the power to deploy technology at its discretion, and that the absence of a legislative mandate does not necessarily mean the commission will abandon electronic systems.
Legal experts, however, remain divided. Some argue that leaving the use of technology to INEC’s discretion creates room for inconsistency and manipulation, while others believe that rigid legal mandates could tie the commission’s hands in areas with genuine infrastructural deficits.
As the 2027 elections approach, the debate over electoral reforms is expected to intensify, with opposition parties and civil society groups vowing to resist what they describe as attempts to undermine democratic competition. Whether the National Assembly will revisit the contentious clauses or maintain its current position remains uncertain, but the implications for Nigeria’s democratic future are profound.
