Presidential aide Temitope Ajayi has slammed former Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini for his cent comment in Electoral Act

Speaking at an opposition conference in Ibadan, Igini said democratic governance cannot thrive in the absence of viable opposition parties capable of holding those in power accountable.

“There will be no hopeful future for democracy without a viable opposition,” he said, urging political parties to strengthen their internal structures and work collaboratively to safeguard electoral integrity.

The conference, attended by opposition leaders and civil society figures, comes amid rising political tension and increased scrutiny of Nigeria’s electoral framework.

Igini also raised concerns about provisions in the Electoral Act, warning that certain sections could undermine transparency and credibility if not urgently reviewed. He noted that aspects of the law could allow questionable validation of results and weaken accountability in the electoral process.

According to him, recent legal developments risk shifting the determination of election outcomes from polling units to the courts, increasing the influence of post-election litigation.

“Elections that should be concluded at the polling unit are increasingly being decided in courtrooms,” he said, cautioning that such a trend could place undue pressure on the judiciary.

Iginni also granted TV interviews during which he further emphasized his criticism if the Electoral Act.

Reacting, presidential aide Temitope Ajayi said on X that if Igini still had any modicum of honour remaining in him, he will go back on same television stations where he made unfounded claims and postured as the '"holy grail'' on electoral matters and INEC.

"He will, with unvarnished public apology, recant the deliberate falsehood he put out.

"I find it really awkward and difficult to understand how a man who spent 10 years or so as a Resident Electoral Commissioner in INEC would join opposition elements on a campaign of calumny against the same institution he served in the past just because he is now playing a different politics.

"Even if Mr. Igini had reasons to disagree with system he once worked for, decency demands that he should exercise better judgment and discretion in the way he goes about putting his views across without delegitimising INEC and eroding public confidence in the institution as an umpire."