Senate Sets Up Seven-Member Committee to Harmonise Electoral Act Amendments

The Senate has constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee to harmonise and streamline lawmakers’ contributions to the proposed amendment of the Electoral Act. The decision followed a three-hour closed-door executive session held on Thursday, after which Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced that the panel would distil and align senators’ views on the bill. The committee is chaired by Senator Niyi Adegbonmire and includes Senators Adamu Aliero, Aminu Tambuwal, Adams Oshiomhole, Danjuma Goje, Tony Nwoye and Titus Zam, with a mandate to submit its report within three days.

Akpabio said consideration of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill was stepped down to allow for deeper scrutiny, given its far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s electoral process. Although the House of Representatives has passed the bill, the Senate said it must exercise due diligence ahead of the next election cycle. The proposed amendments, according to lawmakers, would strengthen electoral integrity, expand voter participation, and introduce stiffer sanctions for offences such as vote-buying, including fines of up to ₦5 million, jail terms of up to two years, and a 10-year ban from contesting elections.

Written by Adeyemi Adewale