The Senate has suspended debate on a bill seeking to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and replace it with a new Electoral Act 2025, sparking concerns that the move could be a calculated attempt to stall electoral reforms before the 2027 general election.
The suspension followed a motion by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti), who urged that further consideration of the bill be stood down to allow more time for consultations and a better grasp of its provisions. The motion, seconded by Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue), was unanimously adopted at Thursday’s plenary.
Bamidele explained that it was not an appropriate time for the upper chamber to proceed with an executive session on such a far-reaching legislation. “There is a need for further consultations on the bill before proceeding further,” he said, adding that senators must first understand its general principles and details before making a decision.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau), Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, proposes a full repeal and re-enactment of the existing Electoral Act to address critical flaws observed in the 2022 law.
Lalong told lawmakers that while the 2022 Act produced some commendable innovations, it also revealed serious gaps such as delays in the release of election funds, disputes over the voter register, ambiguous result transmission procedures, and weak enforcement of electoral offences.
He said Nigerians were demanding not just minor corrections but a “holistic reform” that would strengthen INEC’s independence, ensure transparency, and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
According to him, the proposed bill seeks to introduce digital reforms including continuous voter registration, electronic transmission of results, and digital voter registers embedded with QR codes. It also provides clearer timelines for party primaries, candidate nominations, and replacements in cases of death or withdrawal.
However, critics have warned that the Senate’s decision to stand down the debate could signal a deliberate effort to slow the reform process, ensuring that a new electoral framework does not take effect before the 2027 elections.
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