House of Representatives pass Electoral Amendment Act Bill amidst rowdy session

The House of Representatives on Tuesday engaged in a prolonged, rowdy session that saw shouting matches, repeated voice votes, and a walkout by opposition lawmakers, before they could pass the harmonised version of the Electoral Act amendment Bill

Penpushing reports that the bill titled, “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Electoral Act, No. 13, 2022 and Enact the Electoral Bill, 2026, to Regulate the Conduct of Federal, State and Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory Elections and for Related Matters,” was approved following clause-by-clause consideration in the Committee of the Whole.

The plenary session was convened as an emergency one to address issues arising from the timetable for the 2027 general elections recently announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Penpushing further reports that the House of Representatives earlier adjourned for two weeks to enable standing committees to conduct 2026 budget defence sessions for ministries, departments and agencies.

The House Spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, however, in a press statement issued on Friday informed members of the need to reconvene, while an internal memorandum from the Office of the Speaker, Rt Hon Abbas Tajudeen, cited the constitutional and national importance of developments surrounding the 2027 election timetable.

Penpushing also reports that trouble, however, started when the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Hon Francis Waive of All Progressives Congress Delta State, moved a motion pursuant to Order Nine, Rule 1(6) of the Standing Orders, seeking to rescind the passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which the House had approved in December 2025.

The chairman posited that the motion was necessary to align the legislation with emerging electoral reforms and urged members to recommit the bill to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration.

Penpushing reports that when the motion was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, a majority voted against it, hence, the outcome sparked protests on the floor, with members openly disagreeing, resulting in a rowdy session that lasted several minutes.

The development took another dimension when the proposal was put to a voice vote in a separate motion apparently to calm tensions, for the House to dissolve into executive (closed-door) session.

Penpushing further reports that the  lawmakers again rejected it, and despite the resistance, the House was eventually called into a closed-door session and after more than an hour in executive session, the Speaker stepped aside, and the Deputy Speaker, Hon  Benjamin Kalu, presided as the House moved into the Committee of the Whole to consider a Bill to repeal the Electoral Act, 2022, and enact the Electoral Bill, 2026.

The Deputy Speaker as deliberations began, took several clauses in bulk, and this drew protests from lawmakers who insisted on clause-by-clause consideration, and ignoring the objections, Kalu repeatedly struck the gavel after voice votes on grouped provisions.

Penpushing also reports that tensions escalated as some members left their seats and approached the chair, chanting clause by clause, however, after several minutes, Kalu pleaded with them to return to their seat.

The Deputy Speaker, thereafter, assured them that they would restart the consideration process from Clause 1 and that each provision would be considered individually, as was done during the executive session. Order gradually returned, and lawmakers resumed their seats.

Penpushing reports that at one point, a member repeatedly raised a point of order, claiming some lawmakers did not have copies of the document under consideration, while Kalu cautioned members against speaking without recognition and directed that copies be shared.

The development led to a fresh disorder which broke out when the Committee reached Clause 60 in reference to the controversial section on electronic transmission of results during elections.

Penpushing further reports that, when put to a voice vote, there was a divided response: some agreed, while a majority disagreed with the clause, however, Kalu ignored it, hit the gavel, and continued with the other clauses.

The development led to another rowdy session with lawmakers again approaching him and chanting, “Section 60’, as the rowdiness lasted for several minutes, stalling deliberation, and Kalu again urged lawmakers to return to their seats to continue the deliberations. He thereafter opened the floor for a debate.

Penpushing also reports that Hon Bamidele Salam of Peoples Democratic Party Osun state proposed retaining only Clause 60(3), which mandates that the presiding officer electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal after signing and stamping Form EC8A.

The lawmaker urged the removal of the proviso that allows Form EC8A to serve as the primary source of collation where electronic transmission fails due to communication challenges.

‘The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal, and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and/or countersigned by the candidates or Polling agents where available at the Polling Unit’, the clause states.

“Provided that if the electronic transmission of the result fails as a result of communication failure and it becomes impossible to transmit the result contained in form EC8A signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available at the polling unit, the form EC8A shall remain the primary source of collation and declaration of the result.”

Penpushing reports that he stated that the caveat was unnecessary and contradictory, while the Minority Leader, Hon Kingsley Chinda of Peoples Democratic Party Rivers state, seconded the amendment.

The proposal initially when put to a voice vote appeared to gain majority support, prompting the deputy speaker to strike the gavel, however, following protests, the matter was subjected to a second voice vote, during which the majority voted against it.

Penpushing further reports that Hon Etanabene Benedict of Labour Party Delta State equally proposed that in cases of discrepancy between results on the IREV portal and Form EC8A, the electronically transmitted result should prevail. The proposal was rejected.

The other amendments by Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere of Peoples Democratic Party Imo state and Hon Abdussamad Dasuki of Peoples Democratic Party, Sokoto state, among others, were similarly defeated by voice vote.

Penpushing also reports that despite repeated objections and intermittent disorder, the Committee of the Whole concluded the clause-by-clause consideration, and the House passed the harmonised version of the bill, and thereafter, adjourned to Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

The opposition lawmakers, following the rejection of the amendments, staged a walkout and proceeded to the House of Representatives press centre, alleging the process was driven by partisan interests rather than national good.

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