- Election expenses increased from N1.5bn in 1999 to N350bn in 2023 – Senator Mustapha
- Atiku, Obi may miss out in 2027 as 60-year age limit bill passes second reading
- Reps pass bill to return Nigeria to parliamentary system
The Senate on Thursday passed a bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to address existing gaps, reduce election expenses, enable elected public officeholders to serve as ad hoc delegates in political party conventions and allow elections to be conducted on the same day nationwide.
The bill, which scaled the second reading, was sponsored by the senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha.
Titled the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (SB.701), it passed the first reading on February 12, 2025.
Oh Thursday, Mustapha harped on the urgent need for reforms to make Nigeria’s elections more cost-effective.
According to him, election costs had skyrocketed from N1.5 billion in 1999 to N350 billion in 2023, a trajectory he said was unsustainable and harmful to democracy.
A major amendment proposed in the bill is the introduction of ‘same-day elections’ to cut costs and boost voter participation.
Mustapha said, “Holding elections on the same day will cut expenses from prolonged campaigns and staggered voting while encouraging higher voter turnout.”
The bill also seeks to shorten campaign periods to ease financial pressure on political parties, candidates, and the government.
“A shorter campaign period will curb excessive spending and help political leaders focus on governance rather than prolonged electioneering,” he argued.
Additionally, the bill proposes allowing elected officeholders—such as the President, Vice President, Governors, and National Assembly members—to serve as ad hoc delegates at their party’s conventions.
The 2022 Electoral Act currently bars them from this role “excluding elected officials from party affairs is unfair and counterproductive,” Mustapha noted.
Highlighting the broader benefits, he stated that the amendments would reduce government spending, enhance voter participation, improve electoral efficiency, and lower political tensions caused by staggered elections.
While urging his colleagues to support the bill, Mustapha cited international examples.
“Countries like the United States, India, and Brazil conduct same-day elections, cutting costs and improving their electoral processes. Nigeria must adopt this approach to free up resources for critical infrastructure projects,” he concluded.
The bill sparked debate among senators who spoke overwhelmingly in support of it.
The senators, who spoke, in turn, argued that consolidating elections into a single day will curb electoral malpractice, reduce voter fatigue, and enhance credibility in the electoral process.
However, while the proposal received backing from an overwhelming majority of the lawmakers, others voiced their fears about the possibility of the capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission to manage such an exercise.
One such person is the senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, who warned that while the bill has good intentions, Nigerians need to tread carefully.
He said, “We must ensure that INEC is adequately prepared for the enormous task of conducting elections for all levels of government in one day.”
Oshiomhole also raised concern that having all ballot papers in a day can create confusion, especially among some not-literate electorates.
But Mustapha argued that if passed, the bill would mark a remarkable milestone in the electoral reforms, adding that it would not only cut costs but also deepen democracy by encouraging more citizen participation and reducing economic losses linked to prolonged election cycles.
The Senate is expected to subject the bill to further scrutiny in the coming weeks, with stakeholders closely watching the legislative process to see if Nigeria will finally adopt a more efficient election model.
Atiku, Obi may miss out in 2027 as 60-year age limit bill passes second reading
Also, the House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to stop anyone above 60 years from vying for election to the Offices of the President and Governor in Nigeria.
If this bill scales legislative scrutiny and is signed into law, President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, will miss out on the 2027 presidential contest as they are all above 60 years of age.
Titled “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to review the requirements that qualify a person to be elected as President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Governors and Deputy Governor of a State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and for Related Matters” was sponsored by Imo lawmaker, Ikenga Ugochinyere.
The bill was one of the 31 proposed legislations which scaled second reading during Thursday’s plenary session.
The bill provides that “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the President if he has been educated up to at least university level and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in his chosen field of study.
“Section 131 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting a paragraph which reads, “That he is not more than 60 years at the time of vying for the Office of President.
“Section 177(d) of the principal Act is amended by altering the educational requirement that qualifies persons to be elected as governor as follows:
“A person shall be qualified for election to the Office of the President if he has been educated up to at least university level and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in his chosen field of study.
“That he is not more than 60 years old at the time of vying for the office of Governor.
A bill to provide statutory backing for the establishment of Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education in Imo State also passed second reading.
The bill, sponsored by Ugochinyere, aims to elevate the institution’s status, granting it federal recognition and funding support.
The House also passed for second reading a Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution to provide for mandatory inclusion of youths and persons living with disabilities in political appointments.
This bill, also sponsored by the Imo lawmaker, seeks to promote inclusivity and representation in governance.
Similarly, the bill to move trade and commerce to the concurrent legislative list, aimed at enhancing interstate commerce, also scaled second reading during plenary.
When passed into law, the proposed legislation will empower federal and state governments to regulate trade, thus boosting economic activities between and within the two layers of government.
Also considered and approved was the Federal University of Education, Zaria (Establishment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Speaker Abbas and Plateau lawmaker Yusuf Gagdi.
This bill aims to establish a specialised university focused on teacher education in Zaria. Other education-related bills include the establishment of Yusuf Maitama Sule Federal University of Education in Kano and the University of Nigerian Languages in Aba, among others.
Also passed for second reading is the Reserved Seats for Women in National and State Assemblies Bill, 2025, sponsored by Rep. Kafilat Ogbara.
The bill aims to promote gender inclusivity by reserving specific legislative seats for women.
The Inclusion of Youths and Persons with Disabilities in Political Appointments Bill, 2025, sponsored by Ugochinyere, also passed the second reading.
The bill aims to ensure greater participation of marginalised groups in government.
Additionally, judicial reforms are on the agenda with bills such as the Timelines for Justice Administration Bill, 2025, sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, which seeks to enhance the justice delivery system in the country.
Another proposal, “The Increase in Number of Supreme Court & Court of Appeal Justices Bill, sponsored by Bello Kaoje, calls for an expansion in the number of justices to improve the efficiency of the judiciary.
The House also deliberated on bills related to the creation of new states, with the Creation of Wan State (North Central) Bill, 2025 and the Creation of Gobir State (North West) Bill, 2025 also passing for second reading.
Reps pass bill to return Nigeria to parliamentary system
In the same vein, a bill seeking to return Nigeria to the parliamentary system of government passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday.
The bill seeks to establish the office of the Prime Minister as Head of Government and the President as Head of State.
The proposed legislation was among the 32 constitutional amendment bills passed by the lawmakers during a plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and 59 others, seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution to introduce a parliamentary framework that will shift executive authority from the President to a Prime Minister elected by the legislature.
The bill is titled: *”A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Office of the Prime Minister as Head of Government and the Office of President as Head of State and to Provide for a Framework for the Mode of Election to the Said Offices and for Related Matters.”
Recall that Nigeria previously operated a parliamentary system in the First Republic, with Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa serving as Prime Minister and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as the ceremonial President.
The system, which lasted from 1960 until the 1966 military coup, allowed executive authority to reside in the Prime Minister, who was chosen from the majority party in parliament, while the President served as the Head of State.
In February 2024, some 60 members of the House of Representatives sought amendments to the 1999 Constitution to transition from the current presidential system to the parliamentary system of government.
Led by a lawmaker representing Lagos State under the All Progressives Congress, Wale Raji, the lawmakers identified the need to reduce the cost of government and foster robust policy debates, among other reasons, for demanding a return to the parliamentary system.
The lawmakers, drawn from different party affiliations, anchored their positions on the need to adopt a parliamentary system at the Federal, State, and Local Government levels.