Electoral Act Reforms Stall Again as Senate Holds Extended Closed-Door Talks

The Nigerian Senate has once again been unable to finalise the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, as a lengthy closed-door meeting ended without any public decision on the proposed reforms.

During Tuesday’s sitting, senators withdrew into an executive session that lasted more than four hours to consider the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Senator Simon Lalong, as well as recommendations from a seven-member ad hoc committee set up to resolve disputed sections of the bill.

Despite the extensive deliberations, plenary resumed later in the evening with no explanation of outcomes reached, leaving the legislation unresolved for the second time in recent sittings.

The executive session commenced shortly after 1:00 p.m. following a motion by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, for the chamber to sit as a Committee of the Whole to review the report clause by clause. Although the ad hoc committee’s report—led by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire—was scheduled for presentation and final consideration, lawmakers opted to continue discussions behind closed doors.

When plenary reconvened around 5:35 p.m., Senate President Godswill Akpabio gave only a brief summary, stating that senators had discussed internal legislative matters and broader national issues. With members affirming the statement, the item was concluded without further clarification.

Moments later, the Senate adjourned sitting until Wednesday, offering no indication of whether the bill had progressed to third reading or when it would return for final passage.

The continued delay has deepened uncertainty around the bill, which many stakeholders view as crucial to improving Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections. The amendment proposals are designed to address weaknesses observed in previous polls, deter electoral misconduct, and strengthen public confidence in elections.

Among the key recommendations are provisions for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s results portal, stricter penalties for electoral offences, and updated legal language to reflect modern voting technologies.

Other proposed changes include criminalising the failure of presiding officers to properly sign and authenticate results, replacing references to the smart card reader with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and barring party agents or candidates from escorting vulnerable voters into voting cubicles.

The latest development comes shortly after the Senate constituted the ad hoc committee to harmonise divergent views on the bill following an earlier closed-door session. The committee, chaired by Senator Niyi Adegbonmire and made up of senior lawmakers across party lines, was tasked with resolving outstanding disagreements in the legislation.

Meanwhile, opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress, Labour Party and New Nigeria People’s Party have criticised the pace of the process, warning that further delays could undermine confidence in the electoral system ahead of 2027. The Senate, however, maintains that work is ongoing and that the bill will be concluded once outstanding issues are resolved.