Senate Gives Adhoc Committee 48 Hours To Conclude Work On Electoral Bill

The Senate has given a newly constituted committee 48-hour ultimatum to conclude its assignment on the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026, ahead of final consideration by the red chamber.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, disclosed this on Thursday after a closed-door session during which senators deliberated on the consideration of the report on the bill.

According to Akpabio, the Senate set up a small committee to collate, harmonise, and distil the views of lawmakers on the proposed legislation for final deliberation.

“The Senate has set up a small committee to further make contributions, galvanise, distil all the opinions of distinguished senators and present them to us for final deliberation on Tuesday,” he said.

He explained that the committee, without any particular order of ranking, selected Senator Niyi Adegbonmire, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, as chairman for technical reasons.

Members of the committee include Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central); Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto South), and Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North).

Others are Mohammed Goje, senator representing Gombe central, Tony Nwoye (Anambra north), and Titus Zam (Benue North-west).

Akpabio said the committee has 48 hours, or at most three days, to complete its work and submit its report to the Senate ahead of the next plenary scheduled for Tuesday next week.

He added that the Clerk of the Senate will serve as secretary of the committee.

The amendment of the Electoral Act is expected to address key electoral reforms ahead of future elections, and the Senate’s accelerated timeline underscores the urgency attached to the bill.