The Senate has constituted a 12-member conference committee to reconcile differences between its version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill and the version earlier passed by the House of Representatives.
The decision was announced by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during an emergency plenary session held on Tuesday.
Addressing lawmakers, Akpabio explained that consultations with Senate leadership informed the expansion of the committee from an initial nine members to twelve.
“After consultation with the leadership, we have moved the number from nine to 12. I will now read out the names of the conference committee members from the Senate,” Akpabio said on the floor.
The committee is chaired by Senator Simon Bako Lalong, with Senators Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Iya Abbas, Tokunbo Abiru, Niyi Adegbonmire (SAN), Jibrin Isah, Ipalibo Banigo and Onyekachi Nwebonyi serving as members.
Akpabio urged the panel to approach its assignment with urgency, expressing confidence that the harmonisation process could be concluded quickly. “When you meet, you should recognise that this is a matter of urgency. I believe that if you are able to conclude within the next few days or one week, the President should be able to sign the amended Electoral Bill into law within the month of February,” he said.
He added that once the committee’s work is completed, the harmonised bill would be transmitted promptly to President Bola Tinubu for assent within February. Akpabio thereafter struck the gavel, formally inaugurating the conference committee.
Proceedings during Tuesday’s emergency sitting were tense and occasionally rowdy, with lawmakers frequently interrupting one another. Friction heightened following a motion sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno, which sought a reconsideration of the Senate’s earlier approval of Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026, a provision that deals with the electronic transmission of election results.
Akpabio aligned with a proposal recognising electronic transmission as the primary mode for transmitting results, while allowing for manual submission using Form EC8A only in cases of technical failure. The suggestion triggered heated debate, during which Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe called for individual voting before later withdrawing the request.
The emergency plenary was convened against the backdrop of widespread backlash over recent amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly the handling of provisions on electronic transmission of results. The controversy centres on Clause 60(3), where the Senate last week removed the requirement for real-time electronic transmission, retaining the 2022 Act provision that empowers the Independent National Electoral Commission to determine the method of transmission.
The decision sparked protests across Abuja, including the Occupy National Assembly demonstration, as civil society organisations, opposition parties and prominent political figures such as Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi demanded the compulsory inclusion of real-time electronic transmission to enhance electoral credibility.
In response to the criticism, Akpabio has maintained that the Senate did not reject electronic transmission. He clarified that the removal of the phrase “real time” was aimed at avoiding legal complications that could arise from network failures and at granting INEC the operational flexibility needed to conduct elections effectively.
While critics argue that the amendment weakens transparency and accountability, several senators insist that the majority of the Red Chamber supports electronic transmission in principle, stressing that the disagreement is over wording rather than the substance of the reform.
What you should know
The conference committee represents the final legislative step in reconciling differences between the Senate and House of Representatives versions of the Electoral Act amendment.
Its work will determine whether provisions on electronic transmission of results, particularly the contentious issue of real-time transmission, make it into the final law.
With public protests intensifying and political tensions rising ahead of the 2027 elections, the committee’s recommendations could shape the credibility of Nigeria’s future electoral process and influence public trust in the National Assembly.
