The Senate has ruled out reviewing the Electoral Act 2026 before the 2027 general elections, saying any changes to the law must wait until after the polls.
Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, stated this in an interview with PUNCH amid fresh concerns over the law following a Supreme Court judgment.
“We have already done the electoral reform and passed that one; it is meant for the 2027 elections,” Adaramodu said.
He added that lawmakers would consider changes only after the elections if there was a need for them.
“It is only after the elections that we can consider a review if there is any necessity or calls for amendments and rejigging,” he said.
Adaramodu urged anyone with complaints about the law to submit a petition to the Senate.
However, he insisted that the National Assembly would not change the rules while political parties were already preparing for the elections.
“Parties have used the law to produce candidates who are going to contest in January and February.
"So, are you now going to shift the goalpost in the middle of the game?” he asked.
“How do you halt an Electoral Act that is already in use for a new one?
"We are not going to do that,” he added.
The Senate’s position follows a Supreme Court judgment that restored four disputed provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
The Court of Appeal had earlier declared the provisions unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court ruled that Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) were consistent with the Constitution.
The provisions cover party membership registers and methods for selecting candidates, including direct primaries and consensus.
The judgment has raised questions about how the rules could affect candidates whose party membership records or nomination processes face challenges.
However, the Senate says the current law will remain in force for the 2027 elections.
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