The House of Representatives has commenced fresh legislative action to revisit and possibly amend key provisions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025, citing the need to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Lawmakers on Tuesday suspended ongoing budget defence activities to deliberate exclusively on what Speaker Tajudeen Abbas described as issues that would “define the elections of 2027.”
Presiding over plenary, Abbas commended members who travelled from outside Abuja for what he termed a critical national assignment. He said the House had a single agenda — the rescission and recommittal of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025 for further legislative scrutiny.
“The issues before us will define the elections of 2027 and give a clear vision as to what is expected to be done,” the Speaker stated, emphasizing the urgency of reviewing certain clauses previously passed.
The motion for rescission, sponsored by Hon. Francis Waive, representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency of Delta State, was moved pursuant to Order Nine, Rule 6 of the House Standing Orders.
Waive reminded the House that the bill had been passed in December 2025. However, he explained that a technical committee — comprising leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly, members of the conference committee, clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, and legal drafters from the Directorate of Legal Services — later identified inconsistencies and unintended consequences in some of its provisions during harmonisation.
According to him, the anomalies necessitated further legislative intervention to ensure the law promotes maximum participation, fairness, inclusivity, administrative efficiency and public confidence in the electoral system.
“The House resolves to rescind the decision on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025 and commit the same to the Committee of the Whole for consideration,” Waive said.
Subsequently, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Act, Adebayo Balogun, moved a second motion to formally recommit the bill for fresh consideration.
However, proceedings turned contentious when the Speaker put the rescission motion to a voice vote. Lawmakers opposed to the motion argued that the “nays” were louder. Despite the protest, the Speaker ruled in favour of the “ayes” and struck the gavel.
The decision triggered heated objections on the floor, prompting Abbas to call for a closed-door session to restore order.
The development signals renewed efforts by lawmakers to refine the electoral framework ahead of the 2027 general elections, amid heightened political interest and scrutiny. The House has indicated its resolve to ensure that the final amendments strengthen transparency, fairness and credibility in Nigeria’s democratic process.
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