The Senate passed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 on Tuesday, after tight debates and a heated debate over Clause 60.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC/Abia South) called for a division on Clause 60, resulting in a tumultuous session.
According to Channels TV, Senate President Godswill Akpabio claimed that he felt the demand had already been withdrawn, but many opposition senators objected instantly.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin argued, citing Order 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, that it would be improper to review any provision previously ruled on by the Senate President.
The submission caused another ruckus in the chamber, and Senator Sunday Karimi briefly approached Abaribe.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele reminded lawmakers that he had sponsored the motion for rescission, emphasizing that earlier Senate decisions were no longer legitimate.
He argued that Senator Abaribe’s demand was in line with the motion.
Akpabio argued that Abaribe’s call for division was an attempt to openly convey his position to Nigerians.
The Senate President maintained the point of order, prompting Abaribe to rise in anger and urging him to properly move his motion.
Rising under Order 72(1), Abaribe requested a division on Clause 60(3), notably the clause that if electronic transmission of results fails, Form EC8A should not be used as the sole basis.
He advocated eliminating the provision that allows for the manual transmission of results in the case of a network breakdown.
During the debate, Akpabio urged senators who supported the caveat to stand, then asked those who opposed it to rise.
The opposition was represented by fifteen senators. When the ballots were counted, 55 senators voted in favor of the proviso and 15 against it.
Meanwhile, earlier in the session, lawmakers temporarily halted proceedings as they began a clause-by-clause review of the bill in response to a motion to withdraw the previous revision.
The motion was formally seconded, allowing the Senate to go to the Committee of the Whole for further examination and reenactment of the proposed legislation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the sections for deliberation, but at Clause 60, Senator Abaribe raised a point of order, causing instant attention.
This resulted in murmurs around the room and talks at the Senate President’s desk, following which the session was taken to a closed-door meeting.
Before repealing the Electoral Act, senators expressed reservations about the date of the 2027 general elections as well as technical problems in the law.
Rising under Order 52(6), Senate Leader Bamidele moved to revoke the bill’s earlier passage and send it back to the Committee of the Whole.
He explained that the move came after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that the 2027 general elections would be held in February 2027, following negotiations with the National Assembly leadership.
Bamidele stated that stakeholders expressed concerns that the proposed election date violated the law’s requirement that elections be held at least 360 days before the expiration of tenure, as outlined in Clause 28.
He also stated that elections during Ramadan may have an impact on voter turnout, logistics, stakeholder participation, and the process’s overall inclusiveness and credibility.
The motion also pointed out inconsistencies in the bill’s long title and other provisions, including provisions 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93, and 143.
These flaws apparently impacted cross-referencing, serial numbering, and internal uniformity within the legislation.
