Senate Suspends Debate on New Electoral Bill for More Consultation
By Afolabi Nelson
The Senate yesterday suspended consideration of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2025, after a long debate on its main ideas. Lawmakers said the pause would allow for broader consultation and closer review of the bill’s details.
The bill seeks to replace the Electoral Act 2022 with a new law that would strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system and make it more transparent inclusive.
It proposes new measures such as digital result registers, voter ID cards with QR codes, and stricter deadlines for party primaries and results transmission.
Presenting the bill, Senate Committee Chairman on INEC, Simon Lalong, said the 2023 elections had deeply tested Nigeria’s democracy. He noted that while the 2022 Electoral Act brought key reforms, it also revealed major problems like late release of election funds, disputes over voter registration, confusion about result transmission, and poor enforcement of electoral offences.
