Senate defers consideration of Electoral Act Bill, moves deliberations to closed session

The Senate, on Wednesday, deferred consideration of the report on the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, opting to reconvene in a closed-door executive session to further scrutinise the proposed legislation before taking a final decision.

The decision followed deliberations during plenary on the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, which was presented in the absence of the Committee’s Chairman, Simon Lalong.

The Senators agreed to step down debate on the report to allow senators more time to study the bill in detail, with consideration expected to resume on Thursday.

An executive session was also scheduled to enable discussions on sensitive aspects of the proposed electoral reforms.

Although the House of Representatives had already passed the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stressed the need for careful scrutiny by the upper chamber, citing the far-reaching implications of the legislation for Nigeria’s electoral process.

“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,” Akpabio said.

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According to the committee’s report, a clause-by-clause review of the bill shows that its enactment would strengthen electoral integrity, enhance transparency and boost public confidence in the electoral system.

The Committee recommended that the Senate consider and pass the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025, as amended, noting that the reforms would expand voter participation, curb electoral fraud and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, had earlier outlined key aspects of the proposed amendments, saying the ongoing review of the Electoral Act would significantly improve electoral credibility and institutional independence.

According to him, the proposed Electoral Bill, 2025 introduces stiffer sanctions for electoral offences such as vote-buying, alongside structural reforms aimed at improving the credibility and security of elections.

“We have started the review of the Electoral Act, 2022 clause by clause to achieve this end. With the Electoral Bill, 2025, we have achieved quite a lot to improve how we manage our elections; enhance the credibility of the process and ensure political parties are accountable,” Bamidele said.

He explained that the bill contains more than 20 key innovations distinguishing it from previous electoral frameworks, including provisions recognising the voting rights of prisoners and mandating INEC to register eligible inmates in correctional facilities nationwide.

On vote-buying, Bamidele said the bill prescribes sanctions ranging from a fine of ₦5 million to a two-year jail term, as well as a 10-year ban from contesting elections.

He added that the legislation also recommends mandatory jail terms and higher fines for offences such as result falsification and obstruction of election officials.

The bill, he said, introduces electronically generated voter identification, including a downloadable voter card with a unique QR code, and mandates presiding officers to transmit polling unit results electronically, including the total number of accredited voters.

Bamidele also noted that the proposed law seeks to standardise delegates for indirect party primaries to prevent arbitrary determination of delegate criteria by party leaders, while addressing INEC’s perennial funding challenges by mandating the release of election funds at least one year before polling day.

According to him, the reforms are aimed at guaranteeing credible, transparent and secure elections beginning with the 2027 general polls.

He added that the amendment process would only be concluded after securing the approval of at least two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly, in line with constitutional requirements.

“At the end of it all, good governance, enhanced security and the welfare of our constituents shall remain our cardinal objectives,” Bamidele said.