Senate Passes Electoral Act Amendment Bill, Reduces INEC Notice Period to 180 Days ahead of polls
By Fatima Saka
The Senate on Wednesday passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill after an intensive five-hour clause-by-clause consideration, marking a significant step in Nigeria’s ongoing electoral reform process.
The bill, which was the sole item on the Order Paper following a valedictory session in honour of the late Senator Okey Ezea, was approved at the Committee of the Whole stage after lawmakers considered and adopted its 155 clauses.
While the Senate retained the majority of the provisions as originally proposed, it introduced key amendments aimed at refining the electoral framework. Notably, lawmakers reduced the timeline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish a notice of election from 360 days to 180 days ahead of polls, a move expected to streamline election preparations.
The upper chamber also ruled out the real-time transmission of election results. Instead, it retained the provision for electronic transfer of results in line with existing provisions of the Electoral Act, maintaining the current legal framework on result management.
The passage of the bill underscores the Senate’s resolve to fine-tune Nigeria’s electoral laws, with the amendments expected to shape the conduct and administration of future elections once the legislative process is completed.
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