A leading coalition of civil rights groups has accused Nigeria’s Senate of “betraying” voters by stalling critical changes to the country’s election laws just weeks before a major legal deadline.
The Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Yunusa Ya’u warned on Thursday that the continued delay of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill threatens to throw the 2027 General Elections into “uncertainty and mistrust.”
While the House of Representatives passed the bill in late 2023, the Senate went on a month-long holiday without taking final action, despite public promises to have the law ready by the start of 2026.
The ‘2027 risk’
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is legally required to issue the formal “Notice of Election” in February 2026. Experts say that if the new rules are not signed into law before then, the commission will be forced to plan the next national vote using outdated or flawed regulations.
The proposed bill aims to fix several “weaknesses” seen in previous polls, including:
- Electronic Results: Providing clearer legal backing for the digital transmission of votes to prevent manual tampering.
- Early Voting: Establishing a framework for essential workers and security personnel to vote before election day.
- Tougher Sanctions: Increasing penalties for politicians and officials caught committing electoral fraud.
‘Lessons not learned’
“Electoral reform is not routine legislation. It is a time-sensitive national obligation,” the Situation Room said in a strongly worded statement.
The group pointed out that Nigeria is repeating a “dangerous historical pattern.” In the lead-up to the 2023 elections, similar delays meant the law was passed too late for some reforms to be properly tested, leading to widespread logistical failures and legal disputes.
The coalition also criticised the length of the parliamentary recess. They noted that while the UK Parliament and US Congress returned to work in early January, the Nigerian Senate has remained inactive despite “urgent national priorities.”
A pattern of delay
The Situation Room highlighted a lack of coordination between the two chambers of the National Assembly. While the lower house concluded its work on 23 December, the Senate “stepped down” the bill over procedural issues.
“History shows that last-minute electoral reforms breed confusion and erode the credibility of elections,” the group added.
What happens next?
The Senate is scheduled to resume sittings on 27 January 2026. The Situation Room has issued a three-point demand for the lawmakers:
- Pass the bill immediately upon their return.
- Transmit it to the President for assent without any further “bottlenecks.”
- Fix the coordination gap between the Senate and the House to prevent future stalemates.
The coalition warned that anything less than immediate action would be a “failure of legislative responsibility.”
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