Senate Passes Electoral Act Amendment Bill

The Senate has passed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal & Enactment) Bill, 2026.

The bill was passed after consideration and approval of the 155 clauses.

Amendments were made to a number of the clauses with majority of clauses retained as proposed.

One of the amendments was the reduction of the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the notice of election from 360 days to 180 days.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Senator Tahir Monguno who moved that the earlier 360 days required for INEC to publish the notice of election be reduced to 180 days.

Monguno explained that the reduction in date was necessary to enable INEC meet up with the requirements on publication of notice, saying that it was already late if the 360 days was taken into consideration regarding the next general election.

The Senate has come under pressure to pass the Electoral Act Bill to guide the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the elections.

On Tuesday, the Senate adjourned plenary session to Wednesday after a closed door session which lasted over four hours without making public the outcome of their deliberations.

Among the items listed on the Senate Order Paper for the day include the consideration of the Report of the Committee on Electoral Matters on Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal & Enactment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 903) standing the name of the committee’s chairman, Simon Bako Lalong.

However, upon returning to plenary after its long closed door session, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who didn’t give any details on the outcome of their session, simply said the lawmakers at the session, deliberated on matters that concern the “Senate in particular and the National Assembly in general.”

He went on to call for a motion for adjournment to the next legislative day (Wednesday).

“The Senate in a closed session deliberated on matters relevant to the workings of the Senate, in particular, and the National Assembly in general.

“Is this a true reflection of what transpired in the closed session?”, he asked with lawmakers affirming.

Thereafter, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele rose to move a motion for suspension of other items on the Order Paper and adjournment.

The Minority Leader, Abba Moro then seconded.

(Daily trust)