Abuja, Nigeria — Senator Ireti Heebah Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and serves on the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, has addressed growing public concerns over the status of the Electoral Reform Bill currently before the National Assembly.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Kingibe said she has been actively involved in the reform process since 2024 and emphasized that the ongoing legislative effort is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of future elections.
According to the senator, the National Assembly undertook an extensive and consultative review process throughout 2024 and 2025. This included public hearings and policy retreats conducted by a joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) participated in the deliberations, alongside civil society organizations that served as technical partners.
She explained that the resulting report was built around three key pillars: mandatory electronic transmission of election results with real-time upload to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal; recognition of three modes of party primaries—direct, indirect, and consensus—within a regulated framework; and clearly defined election timelines designed to ensure orderly and credible polls.
When the report was presented on the Senate floor, an ad hoc committee was constituted to review its recommendations. Kingibe stated that the committee’s conclusions were largely consistent with the original proposals, noting that a significant majority of senators supported electronic transmission of results.
She described as inaccurate reports suggesting that the Senate had rejected the proposed reforms or reverted entirely to provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act. While the 2022 law referenced the “transfer” of results, she said the committees recommended stronger language requiring the Commission to electronically transmit and upload results to the IREV portal in real time. She added that the legislative process is still ongoing.
Kingibe clarified that although the bill has passed third reading in the Senate, the harmonization process between the Senate and the House of Representatives has not yet been concluded. A conference committee has been constituted to reconcile differences between both chambers and produce a final version of the bill.
She stressed that the reform effort is driven by a commitment to credible, transparent, and widely accepted elections, and urged Nigerians to remain engaged as the process nears completion.
“The final outcome must reflect the will of the people,” she said, encouraging citizens to hold their representatives accountable and to demand that the Electoral Reform Bill safeguards democratic rights.
Senator Kingibe reiterated that lawmakers are duty-bound to represent the interests of their constituents and ensure that electoral laws strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
