JUST IN: Rowdy scene as Reps convene emergency plenary on Electoral Act
An emergency plenary session of the House of Representatives was on Tuesday marred by a rowdy exchange, with some lawmakers shouting “nay, nay, nay” as proceedings commenced. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen,
An emergency plenary session of the House of Representatives was on Tuesday marred by a rowdy exchange, with some lawmakers shouting “nay, nay, nay” as proceedings commenced.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, at the resumption of plenary, said the session was convened to address pressing issues in the Electoral Act requiring urgent attention to ensure the smooth conduct of the 2027 general elections.
A notice of the session, signed by the Clerk to the House, indicated that lawmakers were summoned to deliberate on the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 elections.
Shortly after the Speaker’s remarks, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, moved a motion seeking the recommittal of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed in December 2025. The motion was seconded by Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun.
Moving the motion, Waive recalled that on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed by the House.
He noted that a technical committee comprising the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly, members of the conference committee, the Clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as legal drafting experts from the Directorate of Legal Services, subsequently met to harmonise the bill and address identified anomalies.
“Recognises the imperative of ensuring electoral timelines and statutory provisions, promote maximum participation, fairness, inclusivity, administrative efficiency, and public confidence in the electoral system.
“Desirous of correcting the identified inconsistencies and unintended consequences through appropriate legislative action in order to safeguard the integrity of the electoral framework resolves to rescind the decision on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and recommit the same to the Committee of the Whole for consideration”.
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However, when the Speaker put the question vote on whether to rescind and reconsider the bill, members shouted nay, but the Speaker hit the gavel saying “the ayes have it.
But those lawmakers who felt that their voice was loudest kept shouting nay, nay, nay, while some other members moved at each other.
Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Abubakar Makki Yalleman was seen charging at his counterpart in Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam, but was quickly prevented by another member.
The House however dissolved into an executive session to discuss issues surrounding the plenary session.
But The Nation gathered that the plan of the House was to consider the clause which gives INEC the power to announce a timetable of elections within 360 days to the date fixed for the elections in view of the controversy that has greeted the recent release of 2027 elections timetable by the Commission.
