The Senate has constituted a 12-member committee to harmonise positions with the House of Representatives on the Electoral Amendment Act, following growing public outrage over contentious provisions in the proposed legislation.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, announced the committee during an emergency plenary session held on Tuesday.
The move comes amid nationwide debates and protests surrounding key clauses of the amendment, particularly those relating to electronic transmission of election results, which many stakeholders say are critical to restoring confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Among the lawmakers appointed to the joint committee are Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Tahir Monguno, alongside 10 other senators whose names are expected to be released in full.
The Electoral Amendment Act has sparked intense reactions from political actors and civil society groups, with former presidential candidate Peter Obi warning that network challenges should no longer be used as excuses to delay electoral reforms.
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Similarly, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has argued that real-time transmission of election results could significantly reduce election-related violence and fatalities.
The Senate’s latest action follows renewed tension over Clause 60 of the bill, which critics say could weaken transparency if not properly addressed.
More details are expected as deliberations between both chambers commence.