By Passman Akpos
The push to reform Nigeria’s electoral framework gained fresh momentum yesterday as Senator Henry Seriake Dickson announced the conclusion of deliberations by the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Electoral Matters, marking a major step toward amending the Electoral Act.
According to Senator Dickson, who chaired the previous joint committee session in Lagos, lawmakers reconvened in Abuja to finalize discussions on key proposals that have been under review for some time. “We have today concluded our discussions on the Electoral Act,” he stated, emphasizing the committee’s commitment to delivering a stronger and more transparent electoral system.
A major decision reached during the session was to invite the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), along with national commissioners, legal experts, and consultants, to engage directly with lawmakers. The goal, Senator Dickson said, is to carefully review, refine, and harmonize all proposals before the final bill is presented to the plenary of both chambers.
“We agreed to invite the INEC Chairman, with his national commissioners, legal staff, and other consultants… to enable us agree, fine-tune, and conclude the discussions so we may present the finalised bill for consideration, as quickly as possible,” he explained.
Describing the meeting as “fruitful,” Senator Dickson assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would soon begin full debates on the proposed amendments, which aim to establish a more robust legal framework for transparent and credible elections across the country.
In his closing remarks, he added: “We hope to provide a more robust legal framework for the conduct of transparent elections in the country. We wish Nigeria the best.”
