Senate Promises Quick Passage of 2010 Electoral Act Amendment Bill

The Senate on Wednesday gave the assurance that the 2010 Electoral Act Amendment Bill before it would be passed before the end of 2020. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Kabir Gaya, who made this known, said the Senate has gone far in the task of amending the Electoral Act. According to him, the committee had shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic held interactive workshop with stakeholders, and will soon hold a public hearing on the issue before the presentation of the report to the Senate at plenary later in the year. He said: "Few months before the COVID-19 pandemic, we had a retreat in Lagos with INEC commissioners; the commission chairman and other international stakeholders came also to contribute to the process, and all members had a draft of the Electoral Act amendment which we discussed. "We also invited INEC to give us their input based on their experience in the last few elections and the problem they had with the Act, what will be their advice on the areas to amend or his own suggestions on the amendment on the existing Act. "We have compiled the two reports and we intend to have a public hearing. We were just discussing with the members how soon we will have the public hearing so that we can present this report to the Senate for the third reading, and then forward it to the president for signing of the amended Act. I believe we are working hard. "For Nigerians who are really keen on the matter, we are also ready in passing it. Members of the committees are ranking senators and former governors with experience, and we have gone through these reports, so I believe Nigerians will be happy with the final Electoral Act 2020.”