Amid growing debate over proposed electoral reforms, the Nigerian Senate has stepped down further consideration of a bill seeking to repeal the Electoral Act No. 13 of 2022 and enact a new Electoral Act, 2025.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion moved by the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), and seconded by the Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue), during plenary on Thursday.
Senator Bamidele said the timing was not appropriate for the Senate to proceed into an executive session on the bill, stressing the need for broader consultation and a deeper understanding of its contents before further debate.
“There is a need for lawmakers to fully understand the general principles and details of the Bill,” Bamidele explained, noting that deliberations would be deferred to another legislative day.
Earlier, before the bill was stood down, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau), presented the general principles of the proposed legislation. He described the measure as a comprehensive reform, not just an amendment, aimed at delivering a stronger, more credible, and more inclusive electoral framework for Nigeria.
Lalong said that while the Electoral Act 2022 introduced notable innovations, it also revealed systemic weaknesses, including delays in the release of election funds, disputes over voter registration, conflicting interpretations of result transmission, and weak enforcement of electoral offences.
He added that Nigerians expect the Senate to enact a holistic reform that strengthens democracy and restores public confidence in elections.
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