The Senate will, upon full resumption from its Yuletide recess, prioritise the consideration and passage of the Constitution Review Bills, amendments to the Electoral Act, and this year’s Appropriation Bill, The Nation has learnt.
Although the Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, January 27, plenary proceedings are expected to be suspended in honour of the late Senator Godiya Akwashiki, who passed on during the recess.
Sources said the Red Chamber would adjourn sitting shortly after convergence, with substantive legislative business expected to start on the next legislative day.
But ranking lawmakers stated that three major national issues would dominate the Senate’s agenda upon full resumption: the report of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, and the consideration and passage of this year’s budget.
A senior lawmaker, who spoke in confidence with The Nation, confirmed that the Constitution Review report, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, is ready for presentation, consideration, and passage.
According to the source, the report was initially scheduled for consideration before the Senate proceeded on recess but was deferred due to the presentation of the 2026 budget by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which the Senate has already passed for second reading.
“Yes, it was supposed to be presented and considered before the recess, but because of the budget presentation, it was stepped down,” the source said.
“Now, one of the top items before the Senate on resumption will be the presentation and consideration of the Constitution Review report.
“The Deputy Senate President, as Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, will lay the report before the Senate, after which the bills will be taken clause by clause and passed, subject to the required constitutional majority,” the source revealed.
Also listed as a priority is the amendment of the 2022 Electoral Act, which lawmakers said has become urgent ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The urgency is driven by the statutory requirement that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must issue its notice of election and election timetable at least 360 days before polling day.
With timelines for political party primaries under the existing Electoral Act rapidly approaching, the Senate is under pressure to conclude work on the amendment bill without delay.
The House of Representatives has already passed its version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, had earlier assured Nigerians that all amendments to the Electoral Act would be concluded in good time for the 2027 elections.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Constitutional Matters, Dr. Monday Ubani (SAN), Akpabio said the Senate would take up the Bill immediately after resumption.
Ubani, responding to questions from the AdvoKC Foundation, a civil society organisation, expressed confidence that the legislative process would be concluded swiftly, with presidential assent expected by the first week of February.
“The timeline is critical, considering the legal requirement for INEC to issue a notice of election at least one year before the polling day,” Ubani said.
“With the House of Representatives having passed its version, the process is already at an advanced stage. Once the Senate resumes, it will certainly pass the Bill,” he added.
In addition to electoral and constitutional reforms, lawmakers said the Senate would intensify work on the 2026 Appropriation Bill, including committee-level scrutiny, harmonisation of reports, and final passage to ensure timely implementation of the fiscal plan.
Efforts to get comments from the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), were unsuccessful as he neither answered calls nor responded to messages as of the time of filing this report.
Source; The Nation News