A bill seeking to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and State Assembly elections on the same day has passed second reading in the Senate.
The proposal is part of the Electoral Bill 2025, which seeks to repeal and replace the existing Electoral Act 2022 with a more robust legal framework for Nigeria’s elections.
Sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Simon Lalong (Plateau South), the bill aims to strengthen electoral processes, enhance transparency, and reduce administrative and financial burdens associated with staggered elections.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the bill’s progression during Wednesday’s plenary after a majority of lawmakers supported it through a voice vote.
The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for further consideration and a public hearing, with a directive to report back within two weeks.
While leading the debate, Lalong acknowledged that the 2022 Electoral Act introduced major reforms but noted persistent challenges, including delays in election funding, disputes over voter registers, ambiguities in result transmission, and weak enforcement of electoral offences.
He said the new bill seeks to fortify INEC’s independence by protecting it from political interference and undue influence.
During the debate, Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi North) advocated for clearer provisions on the electronic transmission of results and urged stronger reliance on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to boost credibility.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) also called on lawmakers across party lines to unite in advancing a transparent and trustworthy electoral system.
Source: Peoples Gazette
