After another prolonged closed-door session, the Senate is yet to have a clear outcome on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill
The long-awaited Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill again hit a brick wall on Tuesday as the Senate failed, for the second sitting in a row, to conclude deliberations on the proposed reforms after another prolonged closed-door session that ended without any clear outcome.
Lawmakers spent about four and a half hours in an executive session examining the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Senator Simon Lalong, alongside submissions from a seven-member ad hoc committee set up last week to resolve contentious provisions in the bill.
However, when plenary resumed, no details of the deliberations or decisions reached were disclosed, leaving the fate of the bill uncertain once again.
The executive session began shortly after 1:05 pm following a motion by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, for the chamber to dissolve into a Committee of the Whole for clause-by-clause consideration of the report.
Although the ad hoc committee’s report, led by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central), was listed on the order paper for presentation and final consideration, senators chose to deliberate behind closed doors.
On resumption of plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio gave only a brief and non-specific account of the proceedings.
“At the executive session, the Senate deliberated on matters relating to the working of the Senate in particular and the nation in general,” Akpabio said, asking senators to confirm the statement.
The chamber responded in the affirmative, after which the gavel was struck, effectively closing the item without further explanation.
Moments later, Bamidele moved a motion to adjourn plenary until Wednesday, with no indication of whether the bill had passed third reading or when it would be brought back for final passage.
The recurring delay has deepened uncertainty surrounding the bill, which is widely seen as crucial to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The proposed amendments seek to address gaps observed in recent elections, curb electoral malpractice and enhance public confidence in the electoral process.
Key proposals before the Senate include mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal, stiffer penalties for electoral offences such as result manipulation and ballot box snatching, and updates to align the law with emerging technology.
Among the safeguards proposed is a new sub-clause aimed at criminalising the failure of presiding officers to sign and stamp ballot papers and officially announced results.
The committee also recommended replacing references to the “smart card reader” with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in Sections 47(2) and (3) of the Act.
To protect vulnerable voters, amendments to Section 54(1) would prohibit political party agents, candidates or their officials from accompanying visually impaired or incapacitated voters into voting cubicles.
The development comes just days after the Senate raised expectations by inaugurating a seven-member ad hoc committee mandated to harmonise lawmakers’ positions and resolve outstanding issues in the bill.
The panel was constituted last Thursday following a three-hour closed-door session during which the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill underwent further scrutiny.
Announcing the decision at the time, Akpabio said the committee was established to synthesise senators’ views and address concerns raised during plenary debates.
The ad hoc committee is chaired by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Niyi Adegbonmire, with Senators Adamu Aliero, Aminu Tambuwal, Adams Oshiomhole, Danjuma Goje, Tony Nwoye and Titus Zam as members.
