Reps in rowdy session over move to rescind Electoral Act Amendment Bill

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, descended into a rowdy session over a motion seeking to rescind the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed by the House in December. The controversy erupted at the resumption of an emergency sitting convened to deliberate exclusively on electoral matters ahead of the 2027 general elections. Presiding […]

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, descended into a rowdy session over a motion seeking to rescind the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed by the House in December.

The controversy erupted at the resumption of an emergency sitting convened to deliberate exclusively on electoral matters ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Presiding over the session, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, commended members who travelled from outside Abuja to attend what he termed a critical national assignment.

He said the sitting had a single agenda which he said was the rescission and recommittal of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025.

“The issues before us will define the elections of 2027 and give a clear vision of what is expected to be done,” Abbas said, stressing the urgency of revisiting some provisions earlier approved by the House.”

The process began with a motion sponsored by chairman of Rules and Business, Hon. Francis Waive, who invoked Order Nine, Rule 6 of the House Standing Orders to seek the rescission of the bill.

Moving the motion, Waive recalled that the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025 was passed in December 2025 but explained that a technical committee comprising the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly, members of the conference committee, clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as legal drafters from the Directorate of Legal Services, later met to harmonise the bill.

According to him, the review process exposed inconsistencies and unintended consequences in some provisions of the legislation, making further legislative intervention necessary.

Waive stressed that the House must ensure that Nigeria’s electoral laws promote “maximum participation, fairness, inclusivity, administrative efficiency and public confidence in the electoral system.”

He argued that addressing the identified anomalies would strengthen the credibility of the electoral framework ahead of the 2027 polls.

“The House resolves to rescind its decision on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025 and recommit the bill to the Committee of the Whole for consideration,” he said.

The motion was seconded by the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, seeking the formal recommittal of the bill for fresh consideration.

However, tension flared when the Speaker put the question on rescinding the bill to a voice vote.

While many lawmakers shouted “nay,” the Speaker ruled in favour of the “ayes” and struck the gavel, triggering loud protests and rowdy session on the floor.

Following the rowdy session, the Speaker subsequently called for a closed-door session to restore calm.

The lawmakers are currently in an executive session.