The Senate has stepped down the Electoral Act (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2025, after an “extensive debate” on its core principles, deciding instead to allow for wider consultation and deeper scrutiny of its contents.
The proposed legislation seeks to repeal the current Electoral Act 2022 and establish a new framework designed to create a “stronger, more credible, and inclusive” electoral system for Nigeria.
It includes major updates such as the introduction of digital registers of results, QR-coded voter ID cards, and stricter timelines for both party primaries and result transmission.
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Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Lalong, led the debate, noting that the 2023 general elections had exposed significant weaknesses in the Electoral Act 2022, despite its earlier reforms.
These weaknesses, he explained, included delayed release of election funds, disputes over the voter register, conflicting interpretations of result transmission, and weak enforcement of electoral offences.
Lalong emphasized that the bill’s key objectives are to ensure transparency, efficiency, and integrity in our electoral system, guarantee free and fair competition, and restore public confidence in elections.
He stressed that Nigerians expect us to respond not with patchwork corrections, but with a holistic law that strengthens INEC’s independence and rebuilds trust in the process.
Lalong added that the bill would bolster the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by safeguarding it from undue interference from government or political parties.”
He also highlighted that the new amendments mandate the early release of election funds, continuous voter registration, and the use of technology to improve transparency.
Despite support for the bill from senators like Titus Zam (Benue North West) and Binos Yaroe (Adamawa), who called it “timely and crucial,” some lawmakers voiced reservations about specific details.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio recounted a personal 2019 election experience to argue that the amendments must ensure INEC is held “accountable for infractions committed during elections.”
He also called for a review of the campaign timetable, warning that prolonged campaign periods disrupt governance, noting that In a four-year term, government effectiveness suffers when ministers and public officers spend almost a year campaigning.
Early in the debate, Senator Emmanuel Udende (Benue North East) raised a concern that members had not yet received copies of the bill for review.
The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, explained that the second reading was only for “general principles” and not “detailed clauses,” which are handled in the committee stage.
Nevertheless, the Senate President Akpabio acknowledged that members needed more “clarity” on the amendments and suggested a closed session for further briefing. He then called for a voice vote to step down the bill.
The motion to defer further consideration to a later legislative day was formally moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and seconded by the Minority Leader, Abba Moro, and was adopted “unanimously.”
The Senate Leader explained the delay would allow senators to conduct “more stakeholder engagements” to ensure the amendments reflect the aspirations of Nigerians.
Akpabio concluded that achieving a shared understanding among lawmakers is important before moving the bill to the committee stage.
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