Nigeria’s Senate suspended debate on the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026, on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, choosing deeper scrutiny before a final vote.
The move came during plenary sessions without Senate Committee on Electoral Matters Chairman Senator Simon Lalong.
Lawmakers stepped down the committee’s report to give senators time for thorough study, rescheduling it for Thursday.
The upper chamber also approved an executive session for closed-door talks on the bill’s sensitive reforms, amid worries about their broad impact. While the House of Representatives has passed it, the Senate demands careful review.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio stressed caution as election preparations ramp up.
“This is a very important bill, especially as it is election time. We must take our time to ensure justice is done to all, so that we do not end up at the tribunal,” Akpabio said.
According to the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, a clause-by-clause analysis of the bill indicates that its enactment would leave Nigerians with a lasting legacy of electoral integrity, enhance transparency and boost public confidence in the electoral process.
The committee, The Punch also reported, consequently recommended that the Senate consider and pass the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025, as amended, noting that the proposed reforms are designed to expand voter participation, safeguard against electoral malpractice and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
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