Senate President Godswill Akpabio has assured Nigerians that all amendments to the Electoral Act will be concluded in time for the 2027 general election. Akpabio was responding to questions raised by the AdvoKC Foundation, a civil society group.

The Senate President’s assurance was conveyed through his Special Adviser on Constitutional Matters, Dr. Monday Ubani (SAN), in response to calls by the foundation for the Senate to reconvene from recess and urgently prioritise the Electoral Bill 2025.

Addressing reporters, Ubani said the Senate would take up the Bill immediately upon resumption from its recess on January 27.

The Senate President’s aide expressed confidence that the legislative process would be completed swiftly.

According to him, the Senate leadership is working towards the passage of the Bill and securing presidential assent by the first week of February.

The lawyer noted that the timeline is critical, given the legal requirement for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Notice of Election at least one year before the polling day.

“With the House of Representatives having already passed its version, the process is approaching its final stages,” Ubani said. “Once the Senate resumes, they will certainly pass it.”

The assurance comes after AdvoKC Foundation raised concerns over the Senate’s decision to go on recess, despite the time-sensitive nature of the Electoral Bill.

The group warned that failure to pass the amendment before INEC issues its Notice of Election would compel the commission to conduct the 2027 general election under the existing 2022 Electoral Act.

The foundation argued that such a development would undermine critical reforms, weaken INEC’s preparedness, and further erode public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.

In a statement, AdvoKC Foundation described the Electoral Bill 2025 as one of the most far-reaching reform efforts in recent years.

The civil society group highlighted some of the Bill’s provisions, such as early release of INEC funding, mandatory audited accounts, NIN-based voter registration, clearer election timelines, early voting, and expanded voting rights for inmates.

Ubani acknowledged that the 2022 Electoral Act revealed significant shortcomings during the 2023 general election, particularly in the areas of election litigation and result management.

He listed real-time electronic transmission of results as the most critical reform, saying it would drastically reduce manipulation at collation centres and provide a reliable audit trail for judicial review.

The Senate President’s aide explained that the proposed amendment seeks to prevent election petitions from being dismissed on technical grounds by allowing documentary evidence to be tendered by a single collation officer or legal representative, rather than requiring witnesses from every polling unit.

Welcoming the Senate’s assurance, AdvoKC Foundation stressed that the focus must henceforth shift from intent to implementation.

The group recalled that despite the national importance of the Bill, the Senate skipped the consideration of its Electoral Bill, SB 903, even after the committee report appeared on the Order Paper on December 3, last year. The Senate later proceeded on recess until January 27, leaving a narrow window for harmonisation, passage and presidential assent.

According to the foundation, the delay contrasts with the speed at which other priority Bills were passed, underscoring that urgency is a matter of choice.

“We urge Senate President Akpabio and the leadership of the 10th National Assembly to reconvene without delay and pass the 2025 Electoral Act Amendment Bill in the interest of our democracy,” the foundation said. “The nation is watching. The responsibility lies with the Senate.”

Ubani added that the Senate leadership planned to engage media and judiciary correspondents after the Bill’s passage to ensure widespread public understanding of the new provisions.

For AdvoKC Foundation, the assurance places the Senate firmly on record, with the coming weeks set to determine whether or not the commitment will translate into action or delay electoral reforms at the expense of Nigeria’s democratic credibility.

Source; The Nation News