By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
Fresh uncertainty has enveloped ongoing electoral reforms as the National Assembly considers shifting the 2027 general elections to January to avoid a potential clash with Ramadan, following the collapse of a crucial harmonisation meeting on the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026.
The Conference Committee set up by both chambers to reconcile differences in the bill failed to meet on Monday, stalling progress on key amendments and raising questions about the fate of far-reaching electoral reforms ahead of the next general elections.
The meeting, scheduled for 11:00 am in the Senate President’s Conference Room 3.01, was not held due to the absence of several members of the House of Representatives delegation.
Sources confirmed that some senators arrived on time and waited in vain for their counterparts.
Although the chairmen of the electoral committees in both chambers, Senator Simon Bako Lalong and Hon. Adebayo Balogun, eventually appeared, the absence of other House members made deliberations impossible.
After waiting for several minutes, the senators temporarily relocated to Lalong’s office.
The committee later reconvened and agreed to reschedule the session for 3:00 pm.
However, by 3:30 pm, only senators were present, including Jibrin Isah, Abba Moro and Tahir Monguno. Once again, no House members showed up.
At about 4:00 pm, Lalong returned, with Balogun joining shortly after. The two presiding officers held a brief closed-door meeting lasting about 10 minutes before dispersing, effectively ending the day without a harmonised position on the bill.
Sources hinted that frantic behind-the-scenes consultations, including a possible late-night meeting outside the National Assembly complex, might be convened in a last-minute effort to bridge differences before Tuesday’s plenary.
At the heart of the disagreement is Clause 60(3) of the proposed legislation, which deals with the electronic transmission of election results.
The House version mandates the real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) IReV portal.
However, on February 4, 2026, the Senate amended the clause by deleting the word “real-time,” opting instead for a more flexible provision that retains electronic transmission while allowing discretion in implementation.
The divergence has become one of the most contentious aspects of the bill, widely seen as critical to strengthening electoral transparency and public confidence.
The Senate delegation to the conference committee, constituted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is chaired by Lalong and includes Senators Orji Uzor Kalu, Adamu Aliero, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Iya Abbas, Tokunbo Abiru, Niyi Adegbonmire, Ipalibo Banigo and Onyekachi Nwebonyi, among others.
Beyond the debate over electronic transmission, lawmakers are also preparing to confront another politically sensitive issue, a possible review of the 2027 election timetable released by INEC.
Federal lawmakers are considering moving the general elections from February to January 2027 to avoid a clash with the Ramadan period, following concerns that one of the scheduled dates falls on Eid.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) had criticised the timetable, warning that fixing elections during a major religious celebration could suppress voter turnout and heighten tensions.
A senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the matter would feature prominently at Tuesday’s plenary.
“Shifting the election date from February 2027 to January of the same year is necessary to avoid rancour, and that is what we are going to address at plenary,” he said.
In a notice issued on Sunday, Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said lawmakers would deliberate on “very crucial decisions on national issues,” fuelling speculation that both the Electoral Act harmonisation report and the 2027 election timetable could be revisited.
With the harmonisation committee yet to conclude its assignment and public pressure mounting, attention has now shifted to the National Assembly.
Lawmakers are expected to decide whether to insist on mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results and whether to adjust the election calendar in response to religious considerations.
*Lawmakers seek priority funding status for cash-starved mining sector
The National Assembly has commenced moves to grant priority funding status to the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development following the non-release of its N865.06 billion capital allocation for 2025, a development lawmakers warned could undermine Nigeria’s economic diversification drive.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this on Monday during a budget defence session before the Joint National Assembly Committee on Solid Minerals Development in Abuja.
He told lawmakers that, despite a significant budget allocation, the ministry received no capital releases throughout 2025, and only about 50 per cent of its overhead allocation had been disbursed as of January 31, 2026.
Alake warned that the funding gap had stalled key infrastructure projects, slowed exploration activities and hampered efforts to reposition mining as a major contributor to the nation’s economy.
“This is the most critical issue. Inconsistent releases are undermining our efforts to reposition mining as a key driver of economic growth, job creation and foreign investment,” he said.
To address the challenge, the minister urged the National Assembly to support a proposal to make the ministry’s allocation a first-line charge, thereby ensuring automatic releases from the Federation Account and shielding the sector from bureaucratic delays and cash shortfalls.
Lawmakers expressed concern about the situation, calling it a major contradiction to the government’s commitment to economic diversification.
Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator Ekong Sampson, questioned how the ministry could unlock the sector’s potential without actual funding.
“How do you drive the harvest of the sector’s full potential with zero per cent release?” he asked.
He warned that failure to release appropriated funds would weaken the credibility of the national budget and discourage investors.
“If funds are appropriated and not released, the entire budget framework becomes unattractive and unrealistic,” Sampson said.
Some lawmakers also argued that the solid minerals sector should be granted funding protection similar to the petroleum sector.
“We cannot continue to appropriate figures without backing them with releases. How can the ministry develop the mining sector under such conditions?” a lawmaker said.
Responding, Alake welcomed the proposal and called for legislative backing to ensure its effectiveness.
“If you legislate on it, it becomes doable. Then we will put on our executive machinery to ensure delivery,” he said.
The minister also presented the ministry’s 2026 budget proposal, allocating N165.34 billion to the ministry and its agencies.
He said the proposal aimed to boost production, strengthen regulation, curb illegal mining, and improve revenue generation.
Despite funding constraints, Alake disclosed that the ministry surpassed its 2025 revenue target by 80 per cent, generating N30.23 billion through reforms that formalised artisanal miners and expanded regulatory compliance.
Lawmakers, however, warned that without predictable and sustained funding, the progress recorded in the sector could be difficult to sustain.
They assured the ministry of legislative support to strengthen its funding framework, stressing that granting priority funding status would boost investor confidence and accelerate the development of Nigeria’s mining sector.
The committee also warned that continued failure to release capital funds could derail Nigeria’s mining sector ambitions and weaken its long-term diversification strategy.
