politics

Senate Defers Electoral Act Bill Amid Shari’ah Council Concerns

Published

9 months ago

January 29, 2026

Q Tinny

Senate defers Electoral Act Bill for further review as Shari’ah Council questions INEC chairman’s credibility ahead of upcoming elections

The Senate on Wednesday deferred consideration of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026, to allow further scrutiny of proposed amendments, as deliberations continued on reforms intended to enhance electoral integrity across Nigeria.

Also read: INEC: PVC Collection Currently Only for FCT Voters

The decision followed discussions on the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, presented in plenary in the absence of the committee chairman, Senator Simon Lalong.

Senators agreed to reconvene the debate on Thursday, with an executive session planned to review sensitive aspects of the bill behind closed doors.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasised caution, stressing the importance of thorough analysis as preparations for future elections intensify.

“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.

The committee’s report highlighted that the bill, if enacted, would strengthen transparency, boost public confidence in the electoral process, expand voter participation, and reinforce the institutional capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Meanwhile, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) called for the immediate removal of INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, asserting that his continued tenure undermines the credibility of elections nationwide.

Speaking at the council’s 2026 Annual Pre-Ramadan Lecture in Abuja, President Sheikh Bashir Umar raised concerns over a legal brief allegedly authored by Amupitan claiming a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.

Umar said the brief had deepened mistrust and questioned the chairman’s impartiality. “An electoral umpire must not only be neutral, he must be seen to be neutral.

How can Nigerians, especially Muslims, repose confidence in an INEC chairman who has been linked to such a divisive narrative?” he asked.

He urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to act swiftly, emphasising that elections under the current INEC leadership could worsen tensions and erode public trust.

“We want peaceful, credible elections that all Nigerians can accept, but if the leadership of INEC remains under this cloud, many Muslims will find it difficult to recognise or legitimise the outcome of such elections,” Umar said.

Also read: INEC Revises CVR Process, Rotates Devices in Osun

The SCSN stressed that its stance is rooted in national unity and democratic fairness rather than religious bias, calling for leadership that inspires confidence across all communities in Nigeria.

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politics

2027: Political Parties Mobilise Thousands of Polling Agents

Published

9 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Mariam Balogun

Political parties in Nigeria have intensified the recruitment and training of polling agents ahead of the 2027 general elections, as preparations shift towards securing representation at polling units across the country.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), are putting structures in place to monitor voting, counting and collation of results.

The development comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) introduces an electronic platform for political parties to nominate and submit the details of their polling agents, replacing the manual submission system used in previous elections.

Nigeria has 176,846 polling units, making nationwide representation a major logistical undertaking for parties seeking to monitor the electoral process from the grassroots.

The APC has claimed that it has recruited 4,421,150 polling agents across the country’s polling units.

Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, disclosed the figure while speaking at a two-day national retreat of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Abuja.

The ruling party said its mobilisation was part of efforts to strengthen its grassroots presence and ensure adequate representation during the elections.

The opposition parties are also developing their own strategies, with some focusing on recruiting committed members, screening nominees and training officials responsible for submitting agents’ details to INEC.

PDP trains officials, warns against double agents

The PDP has begun training its state executives and officials responsible for uploading the details of its polling agents to INEC’s online portal.

At a capacity-building session in Abuja on November 2, the party’s National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, urged participants to take the exercise seriously and extend the training to officials at the local government and ward levels.

He stressed that election monitoring began at polling units, where party agents played an important role in protecting candidates’ interests.

The party’s National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, also cautioned state executives against engaging individuals who were not committed members of the party.

Bature warned against the recruitment of so-called double agents who could abandon their responsibilities or work for rival parties during elections.

He urged party officials to properly screen nominees and prioritise loyal members who had demonstrated commitment to the organisation.

The PDP subsequently directed its state secretaries to submit their agents’ details to the national leadership by December 2, ahead of the commission’s submission deadline.

Labour Party draws lessons from 2023 election

The Labour Party has also commenced the recruitment, screening and notification of polling agents as part of its preparations for the 2027 elections.

Its Interim National Chairman, Nenadi Usman, said the party was drawing lessons from the 2023 general elections, particularly the difficulties it encountered in obtaining comprehensive coverage of polling units.