Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has claimed that three more governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will soon dump the opposition party.

Fayose made the claim on Wednesday while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, following the recent resignation of Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri from the PDP.

According to him, the opposition party may soon be left with only five governors as internal crises continue to plague its ranks.

“Let me tell you, there are three more governors that will leave soon. There will be five remaining. The five remaining, one of them will struggle to catch the ticket, and they all know that the ticket is an ordinary tissue paper,” Fayose said.

He accused some PDP governors of contributing to the party’s decline due to their desire to control its structure.

“They are largely killing the party because they want to control it. This is what happened in 2023,” he added.

Fayose dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu has been coercing opposition governors to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He argued that most of the defecting governors are acting out of self-interest and political calculation.

“President Tinubu should not be blamed for PDP’s problems. The PDP is sick and remains perpetually sick without a cure in view,” he stated.

The former governor maintained that the crisis within the PDP is the result of internal sabotage by some of its leaders.

“Those who killed the party know themselves. There is a difference between a former governor and a sitting governor,” Fayose said.

Although still a card-carrying member of the PDP, Fayose said he bears no responsibility for resolving the crisis, insisting that the current leaders must own up to their role in the party’s troubles.

A Kaduna State High Court has declared unconstitutional the ban on political gatherings imposed by the state commissioner of police, describing it as a violation of citizens’ rights to freedom of assembly and association.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Murtala Zubairu ruled that the police acted outside their powers by disrupting an African Democratic Congress (ADC) meeting held on August 30, 2025, which was attended by former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai and other party leaders.

Thugs had invaded the meeting, attacking participants and damaging property, after which the police claimed the event was organised without prior notice to security agencies.

The police subsequently filed a case against the ADC and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing “inciting disturbance” and other offences — a move the court described as an abuse of process.

Justice Zubairu faulted the police’s actions, saying they amounted to “selective enforcement and abuse of power.”

> “The applicant’s actions demonstrate a clear pattern of potential abuse of power, warranting perpetual restraint by the Court,” the judge held.

He further declared the police’s blanket attempt to prohibit all political assemblies in the state as unconstitutional, awarding a total of ₦15 million in damages to the ADC and SDP.

The compensation covers:

• The unlawful suspension of the September 4, 2025 meeting,
• The wrongful portrayal of the parties as violent,
• The improper ex parte injunction obtained by the police, and
• The failure to investigate the August 30 violence.

The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the commissioner of police, his officers, and agents from interfering with lawful political activities without due process.

Additionally, Justice Zubairu ordered the police to investigate the August 30 attacks and submit a report to the Kaduna attorney-general within 60 days.

The national assembly is considering major amendments to the Electoral Act 2022 ahead of the 2027 general election, with proposals that could transform how Nigerians vote.

The suggested changes include compulsory electronic voting, mandatory electronic transmission of results, early voting for security and essential workers, and the option to replace the permanent voter card (PVC) with other forms of identification such as the national identification number (NIN) or international passport.

These proposals were presented during a public hearing organised by the joint committee on electoral matters on Monday. Lawmakers are also proposing that the 2027 general elections be moved to November 2026 — six months before the May 29 handover date — to ensure that all election petitions are resolved before inauguration.

According to legislators, the goal of the reform is to modernise Nigeria’s electoral process, enhance transparency, and eliminate irregularities that have long undermined public confidence in elections.

PVC may no longer be compulsory

The amendment seeks to revise Sections 18 and 47 of the current law to make the use of PVCs optional. The proposed change argues that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) does not utilise the microchip embedded in the PVC, and therefore the card should not remain the only recognised form of voter identification.

“The use of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) will not be compulsory, since the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) does not recognise the microchip in the PVC,” the document reads.

“Every registered voter will be able to download and print their voter’s card whenever needed. This totally eradicates the issue of buying and selling PVCs, likewise all related offences.”

Under the new proposal, eligible identification for voters will include the National Identification Number (NIN), international passport, or birth certificate.

BVAS, PVC challenges

Since its introduction, the BVAS system has faced issues such as biometric authentication failures, weak battery capacity, and poor internet connectivity — particularly in rural areas.

The 2023 general elections were characterised by complaints over delayed result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) and widespread disenfranchisement due to missing PVCs or malfunctioning devices.

Opposition parties and observers also accused the electoral umpire of result manipulation, pointing to discrepancies between results announced at polling units and those uploaded online.

Push for electronic transmission of results

To address these concerns, lawmakers are proposing to amend Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act to make electronic transmission of results mandatory.

“The presiding officer shall transmit the results, including the total number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation both electronically and manually,” the amendment states.

Proponents believe this reform will strengthen transparency and minimise post-election disputes.

Akin Akingbolu, who represented Yiaga Africa on behalf of civil society organisations, urged lawmakers to extend the provision to include compulsory electronic voting.

“Strengthening the Electoral Act to make electronic transmission of results mandatory, including the upload of polling unit-level results and results sheets, will deepen the credibility of electoral outcomes and ensure votes count,” he said.

Early voting for essential workers

A new clause under Section 2 of the bill introduces early voting for specific categories of voters — including security operatives, INEC officials, accredited observers, journalists, and ad hoc staff — who are typically deployed on election duty.

These groups will be allowed to vote up to 14 days before the main election day to ensure they are not disenfranchised while performing official responsibilities.

Stiffer penalties for electoral offences

The bill also proposes stricter punishment for electoral misconduct, recommending a one-year jail term or a fine of ₦1 million — or both — for any presiding or collation officer who issues unstamped or unsigned ballot papers or result sheets.

“A presiding officer or collation officer who distributes or causes to be distributed any ballot paper or results sheet not duly stamped and signed commits an offence liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year or to a fine not less than ₦1,000,000 or both,” the amendment reads.

A comprehensive electoral overhaul

The proposals are part of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025 (SB. 903), which seeks to repeal and replace the existing law.

It also introduces provisions for diaspora voting, the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission, and enhanced independence for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Lawmakers say the overall aim is to rebuild public trust, modernise the electoral process, and ensure that every vote counts in future elections.

Earlier this month, Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia South, noted that Nigeria’s judiciary had failed to keep pace with the technological advancements introduced by the electoral commission.

Abaribe argued that the challenge with Nigeria’s elections lies not in technology, but in the interpretation of laws by the courts.