The Senate resumes talks on the Senate Electoral Act amendment amid pressure to pass reforms seen as vital to credible 2027 elections
The Nigerian Senate will on Tuesday resume deliberation on the Senate Electoral Act amendment, as mounting public pressure grows over delays critics say could endanger the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
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The upper chamber is expected to conclude work on the Electoral Act Repeal and Enactment Bill this week and transmit it, following the inauguration of a seven-member ad hoc committee to harmonise lawmakers’ positions and resolve outstanding issues.
The committee was constituted last Thursday after a three-hour closed-door executive session, during which senators subjected the proposed legislation to further scrutiny.
The panel was given three days to complete its assignment and is expected to submit its report on Tuesday.
Announcing the decision, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the committee was established to synthesise senators’ views and address concerns raised during plenary debates.
The committee is chaired by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Niyi Adegbonmire.
Members include Adamu Aliero, Aminu Tambuwal, Adams Oshiomhole, Danjuma Goje, Tony Nwoye and Titus Zam.
Akpabio said the tight timeline was necessary to allow the Senate resume consideration of the bill, stressing that due diligence remained essential despite the House of Representatives already passing the legislation.
“This is a very important bill, especially as it is election time. We must take our time to ensure justice is done to all, so that we do not end up at the tribunal,” he said.
A clause-by-clause review by the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters found that the proposed amendments would strengthen electoral integrity, enhance transparency and boost public confidence in the electoral system.
The committee recommended passage of the Electoral Act Repeal and Enactment Bill 2025, as amended, saying the reforms would expand voter participation, curb electoral malpractice and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Earlier, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the bill as a decisive step toward improving electoral credibility and safeguarding institutional independence.
He said the proposed law introduces stiffer sanctions for electoral offences such as vote buying, including fines of up to N5m, a two-year jail term and a 10-year ban from contesting elections.
The bill also prescribes tougher penalties for result falsification and obstruction of election officials, introduces electronically generated voter identification with a downloadable voter card featuring a unique QR code, and mandates electronic transmission of polling unit results.
Further provisions recognise the voting rights of inmates, require INEC to register eligible prisoners, standardise delegates for indirect party primaries and mandate the release of election funds at least one year before polling day.
Bamidele said the reforms were designed to guarantee transparent and secure elections from the 2027 general polls, subject to approval by at least two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly in line with constitutional requirements.
The renewed push has drawn sharp scrutiny from legal experts, opposition parties and civil society groups, who accuse the National Assembly of unnecessary delays.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer Femi Falana last week criticised lawmakers for repeatedly postponing passage of the bill, warning that the delays could undermine public trust in the electoral process.
Speaking on Arise News on Sunday, Falana faulted the Senate’s decision to set up another committee to review a bill already passed by the House of Representatives in December 2025.
He argued that critical reforms contained in the bill address long-standing gaps in Nigeria’s electoral framework and should not be subjected to further delay.
Opposition parties including the African Democratic Congress, Labour Party and New Nigeria People’s Party have also warned that continued delays could erode confidence and threaten the legitimacy of the 2027 elections.
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The Senate insists that the ad hoc committee will accelerate the process, as lawmakers intensify efforts to conclude deliberations and transmit the bill in the coming days.
