The Senate on Monday dismissed fresh calls by opposition leaders for another amendment to the 2026 Electoral Act, insisting that any review must strictly follow constitutional and legislative procedures within the National Assembly.
The upper chamber’s position followed a press conference in Abuja by leaders of opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), who urged lawmakers to urgently revisit aspects of the newly signed law.
The opposition figures argued that some provisions of the Act were unfair and could tilt the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The 2026 Electoral Act was recently passed by the National Assembly and assented to by Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 18.
Among key amendments, the new law restricts political parties to direct primaries and consensus options for candidate selection. The repealed 2022 Act allowed parties to adopt direct primaries, indirect primaries through delegates, or consensus arrangements.
The law also shortens campaign periods and timelines for party primaries.
In addition, funding for the Independent National Electoral Commission will now be released six months before an election, instead of 12 months as provided under the previous legislation.
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Reacting to the opposition’s demand, Senate spokesman, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu (APC – Ekiti South), advised aggrieved political actors to channel their concerns through their representatives in the National Assembly rather than making public pronouncements.
“Electoral Act again? Do you abort a pregnancy after the naming ceremony? But no problem. If they (opposition leaders) have any grey areas, they can just make their personal proposals to their legislators and they will bring them.
“Once they bring it to the National Assembly, we will look at it,” Adaramodu told reporters.
Also speaking, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu stressed that the constitutional power to amend the Electoral Act resides exclusively with the National Assembly.
He cautioned political actors against making statements capable of heightening tension in the country and urged them to prepare for the 2027 elections if they are dissatisfied with the current administration.
“The opposition should stop heating up the polity. The route they are taking is not the right one. They should leave this route because it can only lead to chaos.
“If they are not comfortable with the current administration, they should change it by contesting against Mr President in 2027 and see if they can defeat him. In the meantime, they should stop heating up the polity,” he said.
