The House of Representatives has set up a joint committee to review and align the Electoral Act Amendment Bill as part of ongoing efforts to improve Nigeria’s electoral system before the 2027 general election.
In a statement released on Thursday by the House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, the committee was created to resolve differences between the versions of the bill earlier passed by the Senate and the House.
The statement explained that the decision was communicated in an internal memo dated Wednesday, February 4, 2026, from the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Dr Yahaya Danzaria, acting on the directive of the House leadership.
The seven-member committee is chaired by the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Mr Adebayo Balogun, who represents Lagos. Other members are Fred Agbedi, Sada Soli, Ahmadu Jaha, Iduma Igariwey, Saidu Abdullahi and Zainab Gimba.
The committee is expected to meet with a similar team from the Senate to agree on a single version of the bill. This harmonised document will then be presented to the National Assembly for final approval.
The move follows several months of work on proposed changes to the Electoral Act, based on lessons from the 2023 general election and sustained pressure from civil society groups, political parties and election observers.
Although both the Senate and the House agree on the need for electoral reforms, they have disagreed on some key issues. These include the use of election technology, especially rules guiding the electronic transmission of results, and deadlines for party primaries and submission of candidates’ names to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
There are also differences over how much power INEC should have to regulate political parties and enforce electoral rules. Other areas of disagreement include penalties for electoral offences, the order in which elections should be held, and how pre-election disputes should be resolved.
Because of these unresolved issues, the conference committee was set up to help bridge the gaps and produce a unified bill that can be sent to the President for approval.
The House of Representatives said it remains committed to pushing reforms that will improve transparency, credibility and public trust in Nigeria’s democratic process as the 2027 elections draw closer.
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