Senate Passes Second Reading of Electoral Bill 2025

The Electoral Bill 2025 has cleared its second reading in Nigeria’s Senate, marking a decisive step toward electoral reform and renewed public trust in the nation’s democratic process.

Passed on October 22, 2025, the bill—sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti South)—seeks to repeal the Electoral Act 2022 and introduce far-reaching changes designed to curb rigging, minimize violence, and strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Lawmakers achieved a rare moment of unity as the bill sailed through with no objections, reflecting cross-party consensus on the urgent need to fix flaws exposed in past elections, particularly the 2023 general polls, marred by logistical failures and allegations of vote manipulation that led to record-low voter turnout.

At its core, the Electoral Bill 2025 mandates real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to central collation centers—an innovation aimed at blocking post-voting manipulation. It also shifts the burden of proof in electoral disputes onto INEC, replacing the current system where aggrieved candidates must shoulder the legal weight of contesting outcomes.

The proposed law introduces stiffer penalties for electoral offences, including up to 10 years imprisonment, ₦10 million fines, and permanent disqualification from public office for crimes such as voter intimidation, ballot stuffing, and misinformation.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised the legislation as “a bold leap toward credible elections,” noting that it could drastically reduce post-election litigations, which exceeded 1,500 cases after the 2023 elections.

Other key provisions of the Electoral Bill 2025 include:

• Mandatory biometric verification for all voters.

• AI-driven monitoring systems to detect anomalies in real-time.

• Elimination of early voting loopholes often exploited by party loyalists.

• Gender quotas ensuring at least 35% female representation in political party candidate lists.

• Diaspora voting rights for Nigerians living abroad.

The bill now advances to the Senate Committee on INEC, chaired by Senator Sharafadeen Alli (Oyo South), for detailed review and stakeholder consultations. Civil society groups such as Yiaga Africa, CDD, and the Nigerian Bar Association have commended the initiative, calling it “a foundation for fairer and freer elections.”

However, experts caution that implementation challenges remain. Former INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega warned that inadequate funding and weak rural connectivity could undermine the bill’s digital reforms. INEC’s 2025 allocation—approximately ₦300 billion—may fall short of supporting nationwide technology upgrades.

With the 2027 general elections just two years away, Nigerians are watching closely. Will this reform finally deliver credible polls—or repeat the fate of the 2021 Electoral Bill, vetoed over internal party primaries?

As President Bola Tinubu’s administration prepares for committee reports and final assent, the Electoral Bill 2025 could define Nigeria’s democratic trajectory for decades to come.