ABUJA/Nigeria: Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Heebah Kingibe, has dismissed reports suggesting that the Senate has rejected key aspects of the Electoral Reform Bill, insisting that the legislative process is ongoing and that no reversal to the 2022 Electoral Act has taken place.
Kingibe, who is also a member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, said she was compelled to address Nigerians directly in view of what she described as widespread misinformation surrounding the status of the bill, which she noted she has been actively involved in since 2024.
According to the senator, the National Assembly in 2024 and 2025 undertook an extensive and inclusive reform process aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s electoral framework. She explained that the exercise involved joint public hearings and policy retreats by committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) participating consistently alongside civil society organisations that served as technical partners.
She said the outcome of the process was a comprehensive report shaped by consultations, debates and consensus-building, reflecting the aspirations of Nigerians for a more transparent and credible electoral system.
Kingibe explained that the report was built around three core objectives: the electronic transmission of election results and real-time upload to the INEC Result Viewing Portal to enhance transparency and public confidence; the recognition of direct, indirect and consensus modes of party primaries within a regulated framework; and clearly defined election timelines that work for INEC, political actors and the electorate.
She disclosed that when the report was presented to the Senate, an ad hoc committee was constituted to review it, noting that the committee’s recommendations were largely consistent with the original submissions. According to her, about 85 per cent of senators supported the electronic transmission of election results.
The senator described as inaccurate reports claiming that the Senate rejected electronic transmission of results or reverted entirely to the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act. She clarified that while the 2022 Act referred to the “transfer” of results, the committees expressly recommended that INEC “shall electronically transmit results and upload them to the IREV in real time,” adding that these proposed amendments remain part of the legislative process.
Kingibe further explained that the harmonisation stage between the Senate and the House of Representatives is yet to be concluded. She said a correspondence committee has been constituted to align both versions of the bill into a single final document, stressing that although the bill has passed third reading, the final harmonised version has not been completed.
Reaffirming the intent behind the reforms, Kingibe said the process is driven by a genuine commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and ensuring elections that are transparent, credible and acceptable to the people.
She urged Nigerians to remain calm but actively engaged, calling on citizens to hold their representatives accountable by demanding transparency and insisting that the final Electoral Reform Bill protects their votes and democratic rights.
“We are your representatives. We are your voice. And your will must shape the laws that govern you,” the senator said.
