Nigeria’s democracy is not being overthrown by soldiers in the streets; it is being quietly dismantled by legislators in air-conditioned chambers. In a scathing critique that has sent shockwaves through the political establishment, former agency chief Dakuku Peterside has exposed a systematic legislative effort to erode electoral transparency, clause by subtle clause.

The warning comes just days after the Nigerian Senate passed the controversial Electoral Act Amendment Bill on February 4, 2026. While the public’s attention has been diverted by economic survival, lawmakers have orchestrated what Peterside describes as a "redesign" of the democratic process—ensuring elections still occur, but stripping them of the accountability mechanisms that give them legitimacy. The implications for the 2027 general elections are catastrophic.

The Mechanics of Regression

The heart of the controversy lies in the subtle edits made to the Electoral Act 2022. These are not sweeping changes announced with fanfare, but technical adjustments designed to weaken the electronic transmission of results and reduce the oversight powers of the electoral commission. "A democracy rarely collapses in a single dramatic moment," warns Peterside. "It is slowly redesigned until citizens wake up one day to discover that elections still happen, but accountability no longer does."

This legislative "editing" creates a veneer of legality while hollowing out the core pillars of free and fair elections. Political analysts in Abuja suggest that the amendments are a preemptive strike by the ruling class to insulate themselves from the growing voter discontent that characterized the previous election cycle. By weakening the technological safeguards that were hailed as a breakthrough in 2022, the Senate is effectively turning the clock back to an era of ballot stuffing and result manipulation.

• The Senate's Move: The passage of the Amendment Bill on February 4 was rushed, with little public consultation or scrutiny of the specific clauses being altered.
• The Consequence: Key transparency measures, particularly regarding the real-time transmission of results, have been diluted, creating loopholes for post-election interference.
• The Verdict: Civil society groups warn that this is a deliberate "reverse gear" motion, calculated to entrench incumbency and disenfranchise the electorate before a single vote is cast.

A Crisis of Trust

The timing of this legislative maneuvering is critical. With trust in public institutions already at an all-time low, this move serves as a confirmation of the electorate's worst fears: that the system is being rigged from the inside. The narrative is no longer about who wins or loses, but about the integrity of the game itself.

As the bill moves towards presidential assent, the pressure is mounting on civil society and the judiciary to intervene. But as Peterside chills concludes, the damage may already be done. The tank has been replaced by the pen, and the coup is almost complete—not with a bang, but with a whisper in the hallowed halls of the National Assembly.