By Peterside Rejoice
The House of Representatives was thrown into a rowdy session on Tuesday as lawmakers clashed over a motion seeking to rescind its earlier passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and recommit it for fresh consideration ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The heated debate forced the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, to call for a closed-door session after members openly disagreed over the outcome of a voice vote taken on the floor.
The controversy began when the House suspended its ongoing budget defence engagements to deliberate on what the leadership described as urgent electoral matters capable of shaping the credibility of the 2027 polls. Addressing members at the start of plenary, Abbas commended lawmakers who travelled from outside Abuja to attend what he termed a crucial national assignment, stressing that the sitting was convened specifically to consider the rescission and recommittal of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
According to him, the issues under review would define the direction and integrity of the next general elections, making it necessary for the House to revisit certain clauses earlier passed in December 2025.
Leading the debate, Hon. Francis Waive, representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency of Delta State, moved a motion pursuant to Order Nine, Rule 6 of the House Standing Orders, seeking the rescission of the bill.
Waive explained that after the bill was passed, a technical harmonisation committee made up of the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly, members of the conference committee, clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as legal drafters from the Directorate of Legal Services, reviewed the legislation.
He disclosed that the committee identified inconsistencies and unintended consequences in some provisions of the amendment, necessitating fresh legislative action to address the anomalies.
Stressing the need to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic process, Waive said electoral laws must promote maximum participation, inclusivity, fairness, administrative efficiency and public confidence.
He argued that correcting the identified inconsistencies through appropriate legislative measures would strengthen the country’s electoral framework ahead of 2027.
“The House resolves to rescind the decision on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025 and commit the same to the Committee of the Whole for consideration,” he said.
Following his motion, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, moved a second motion to formally recommit the bill for fresh scrutiny.
However, tension heightened when the Speaker put the question to a voice vote. While some lawmakers responded with “aye” in support of the rescission, others shouted “nay” in opposition. Observers noted that the “nays” appeared louder, but the Speaker ruled in favour of the “ayes” and struck the gavel.
The ruling immediately triggered protests from several members who insisted that the “nays” had it. The disagreement led to shouting across the chamber, with some lawmakers demanding a division to properly count votes.
Amid the uproar, Abbas called for order before announcing a closed-door session to allow members deliberate further on the matter.
The development underscores renewed efforts by the House to fine-tune Nigeria’s electoral laws amid growing political interest ahead of the 2027 general elections. Lawmakers maintained that no legislative effort would be spared in ensuring that the legal framework guiding future elections guarantees transparency, credibility and public trust in the democratic process.
