The Senate is set to resume deliberations on the contentious Electoral Act amendment bill on Tuesday, following widespread public criticism and concerns that continued delays could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
The upper chamber plans to conclude work on the bill and transmit it within the week, after the inauguration of a seven-member ad hoc committee tasked with harmonising lawmakers’ positions and resolving outstanding issues.
The committee was constituted last Thursday after a three-hour closed-door executive session in which senators subjected the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill to further scrutiny. It was given three days to complete its assignment and is expected to submit its report today.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the panel was set up 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, with Adamu Aliero, Aminu Tambuwal, Adams Oshiomhole, Danjuma Goje, Tony Nwoye and Titus Zam as members.
Akpabio noted that although the House of Representatives had already passed the bill, the Senate must exercise due diligence before concurrence.
“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.
According to a report by the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, a clause-by-clause review showed that the proposed amendments would strengthen electoral integrity, enhance transparency and boost public confidence in the electoral system. The committee recommended the passage of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025, as amended.
Earlier, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, outlined key provisions of the bill, describing it as a major step toward improving electoral credibility and safeguarding institutional independence.
He said the bill proposes stiffer sanctions for electoral offences such as vote-buying, including fines of up to ₦5 million, a two-year jail term and a 10-year ban from contesting elections. Other provisions include tougher penalties for result falsification and obstruction of election officials, electronically generated voter identification with a downloadable voter card and unique QR code, and mandatory electronic transmission of polling unit results.
Bamidele added that the bill also recognises the voting rights of inmates, mandates the registration of eligible prisoners by INEC, standardises delegates for indirect party primaries, and requires the release of election funds at least one year before polling day.
He said the reforms are aimed at guaranteeing credible, transparent and secure elections beginning with the 2027 polls, subject to approval by at least two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly, in line with constitutional requirements.
The renewed push by the Senate comes amid sustained criticism from legal experts, opposition parties and civil society groups over what they describe as unnecessary delays.
Last week, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, criticised the National Assembly for repeatedly postponing passage of the amendment bill, warning that the delays could undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Arise News, 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, describing the process as an attempt to maintain the status quo.
He argued that the bill contains critical reforms addressing long-standing gaps in Nigeria’s electoral framework, including electronic transmission of results, tougher penalties for vote-buying, voting rights for inmates and sanctions against financially induced delegates.
Falana also recalled that key reforms, such as the establishment of an electoral offences commission recommended as far back as 2008, are yet to be implemented.
Similarly, opposition parties including the African Democratic Congress, Labour Party and New Nigeria People’s Party have expressed concern over what they described as a lack of urgency by the National Assembly, warning that further delays could erode public confidence and threaten the credibility of the 2027 elections.
The Senate, however, maintains that the newly constituted ad hoc committee will fast-track the process as lawmakers intensify efforts to conclude work on the bill in the coming days.
Elijah Adeyemi
