2027: Senate suspends debate on Electoral Act amendment
…Akpabio recalls 2019 election injustice
The Senate on Thursday suspended debate on the proposed amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act after deliberations ran into confusion during plenary.
The bill, which seeks to review aspects of the electoral law ahead of the 2027 general elections, had been presented for debate by Simon Lalong, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator (Plateau South).
However, discussions became stalled after several lawmakers raised concerns over the specifics of the proposed changes.
Trouble began when Senator Titus Zam (Benue North East) supported calls for the bill to be passed for second reading. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, interrupted, asking him to specify which sections of the Act he wanted amended.
Akpabio then directed Senator Lalong to provide more clarity on the “nitty-gritty” of the proposed amendments before further debate could continue.
The Senate President also used the opportunity to revisit what he described as the “injustice” he suffered during the 2019 general election in Akwa Ibom State, where he contested for the Senate.
He recounted how Professor Peter Ogban, the returning officer for the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District election, was sentenced to three years in prison for electoral offences, while the then Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, was not held accountable.
Akpabio said, “What happened during the 2019 elections was unfair. The court ordered the prosecution of those responsible, yet the wrong person was punished.
“Professor Ogban, who served for 34 years, became a scapegoat, while INEC officials responsible for the lapses went free.”
He further alleged that security agencies hijacked result sheets during the collation process, contrary to the Electoral Act, and emphasized the need to hold the right institutions accountable in future elections.
Akpabio also raised concerns about Nigeria’s lengthy electoral timelines, noting that long campaign and pre-election periods often disrupt governance, especially when politicians appointed as ministers abandon their posts for electioneering activities.
“If we want to fix our electoral system, we must ensure that INEC and other institutions perform their duties without bias or political manipulation,” he said.
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Following his remarks, Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), the Senate Leader, , moved that consideration of the bill be suspended to allow for more clarity on its contents.
The motion was unanimously adopted.
It would be recalled that the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters on Monday held a joint public hearing on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025, which among other proposals, seeks to hold the 2027 presidential and governorship elections in November 2026.
