The Senate has proposed a major reform to Nigeria’s electoral process, seeking to shift the burden of proof in election petitions from litigants to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of the ongoing process to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and enact a new Electoral Bill, 2025.
Lawmakers made the proposal on Wednesday during debate on the general principles of the Bill for an Act to regulate the conduct of federal, state, and area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory. The bill was sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong representing APC, Plateau South.
Presiding over the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said INEC must be held accountable for the conduct and integrity of elections, stressing that the electoral umpire, being in custody of materials and logistics, should bear the responsibility of proving that elections were conducted in accordance with the law.
“I agree with Senator Dickson and other senators who have called for shifting the burden of proof in electoral litigations from litigants to INEC,” Akpabio said. “INEC is responsible for election logistics and conduct; it must therefore prove that the processes it supervises comply with the law.”
Senator Seriake Dickson representing PDP, Bayelsa West argued that the time had come to reform Nigeria’s evidential standard in electoral disputes.
Dickson noted that Nigeria must consolidate democratic gains and strengthen electoral integrity, citing examples from Ghana and other African democracies. He urged the Senate to modernize the system, empower INEC to deploy more technology, and ensure adequate funding.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) decried the militarization of elections and the post-election surge in crime caused by unrecovered weapons.
He urged security agencies to be properly guided on their roles during elections to prevent abuse of power and violence.
Senator Muntari Dandutse representing APC, Katsina South condemned political defections, describing them as “disgraceful and shameful,” and called for legal provisions to strip defectors of their seats.
He also urged that the number of registered political parties be reduced to not more than ten, arguing that many currently exist only on paper.
Senator Sampson Ekong representing APC, Akwa Ibom South emphasized the need for a change of attitude toward electoral integrity, noting that laws alone cannot deliver credible polls without enforcement.
Senator Abdul Ningi representing PDP, Bauchi Central also urged the inclusion of all elected political officeholders as delegates in party primaries to strengthen internal democracy
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