By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
The Senate on Thursday ordered a fresh review of proposed amendments to the Electoral Act 2022 after closed-door disagreements among lawmakers halted consideration of key clauses, prompting the establishment of an ad hoc committee to rework contentious provisions.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced the decision after the Red Chamber spent over three hours in an executive session examining the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Senator Simon Lalong.
The report, initially scheduled for consideration on Wednesday, was stepped down following the absence of its chairman, a former governor of Plateau State, with Akpabio directing that copies be circulated to senators for further study.
However, proceedings took a different turn on Thursday when lawmakers decided to hold an executive session to privately review sensitive sections of the proposed amendments.
Briefing senators after plenary resumed, Akpabio said, “The depth of concerns raised” made it necessary for the report to undergo further scrutiny to “reconcile divergent views and resolve grey areas” identified during the closed session.
“This is a very important bill, especially as it is election time. We must take our time to ensure justice is done to all, so that we do not end up at the tribunal,” he said.
He disclosed that the ad hoc panel would work alongside the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, chaired by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, and would sit for 48 hours before submitting a harmonised report for consideration on the third day.
Members of the panel include Senators Adamu Aliero, Aminu Tambuwal, Adams Oshiomhole, Danjuma Goje, Tony Nwoye and Titus Zam, while the Clerk of the Senate will serve as secretary.
Akpabio thereafter adjourned plenary to Tuesday next week.
Meanwhile, the Senate also recorded another political realignment as Senator Pam Dachungyang, representing Plateau State, formally defected from the Action Democratic Party (ADP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defection letter, read on the floor by Akpabio, cited “irreconcilable differences and prolonged internal crises” within the ADP, which the senator said had undermined his capacity to operate effectively in the Red Chamber.
The defection further strengthens the APC’s numerical advantage in the Senate, amid growing political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
