….Abaribe forces division as Senate votes 55–15 on electronic transmission proviso
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The Senate on Tuesday rescinded its earlier passage of the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2026 and recommitted it to the Committee of the Whole to amend provisions that could cause the 2027 general elections to clash with Ramadan and the Christian Lenten season.
The move followed consultations with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 2027 based on the 360-day statutory notice requirement.
Leading the motion, Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele invoked Orders 1B and 52.6 of the Senate Standing Orders, explaining that while Clause 28 allowed more than 360 days’ notice, “time was already running, and there would be need for a further amendment for it to adjust its programme.”
“The primary reason for convening today is to further amend the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act so that INEC can review its timetable… This is not politically motivated; it is about inclusiveness, fairness and broad participation,” he said.
He added that Muslim leaders had raised concerns that February 2027 would coincide with Ramadan, while part of the Christian Lenten period would also fall within the election window.
The Senate also identified drafting inconsistencies in several clauses — including 6, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93 and 94 — describing them as “scrivener’s errors and drafting gaps.”
After adopting the motion, the chamber amended Clause 28, reducing the statutory election notice from 360 to 300 days, thereby shifting the possible 2027 election window to between December 2026 and January 2027.
Proceedings later turned rowdy during consideration of Section 60(3) on electronic transmission of results.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe objected to the proviso allowing manual recording of results on Form EC8A where internet connectivity fails, invoking Order 72(1) and demanding a division, saying, “I am calling for a division.”
After a heated exchange, Senate President Godswill Akpabio ordered a standing vote, declaring, “This is democracy in action… The social media must see you.”
Announcing the result, he said, “Those who do not want any proviso are 15 in number and those who want the proviso are 55 in number. And so, the proviso stays.”
Those who opposed the proviso included Abdul Ningi, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Aminu Tambuwal, Victor Umeh, Seriake Dickson, Peter Jiya and Tony Nwoye.
The Senate thereafter passed the amended bill for third reading and adjourned plenary to February 24.