CHUKWU DAVID examines activities of the Senate in the first week of resumption from its Christmas and New Year recess, highlighting critical national issues being addressed by the upper legislative chamber
The Senate embarked on Christmas and New Year recess on December 23, 2025, after passing the N58.18 trillion 2026 budget through second reading. The chamber also fixed its resumption date for January 27, and obviously, a number of issues are pending and awaiting the attention of the lawmakers.
Some priority areas to be addressed by the Senate include the ongoing review of the constitution, the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and legislative processes on several bills, which were earlier presented on the floor of the Red Chamber before the recess.
Other priority issues waiting for legislative considerations are debate on the N58.472 trillion 2026 budget, worsening security situation in the country and some pending requests by President Bola Tinubu.
It’s pertinent to report that the Senate lost one of its members, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, who died during recess. Akwashiki, who represented Nasarawa North Senatorial District on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP),died on December 31, 2025, in an Indian hospital, following a protracted illness. According to parliamentary tradition, the Senate which resumed as scheduled on January 27, suspended all items on its order paper and adjourned plenary till the next day as a mark of honour to the deceased parliamentarian.
This happened after the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, read his address of welcome to his colleagues. In an earlier statement on the agenda of the Senate after resumption, the Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), highlighted some of the issues, noting that the 2026 Appropriation Bill had reached the committee stage and would be given utmost priority on resumption due to its critical importance to the well-being of the people.
Bamidele also noted that the Senate has been working with key stakeholders to review the 1999 Constitution with a view to delivering a people-centred document that would give progressive governance structure to Nigerians.
Similarly, he pointed out that the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 is at the stage of completion, saying: “The proposal was painstakingly designed to enhance the credibility and transparency of the country’s electoral process. When it becomes effective, the proposed legislation will address the prevailing realities that characterise our political environment.”
Senate considers Electoral Bill
On January 28, the Senate carried out a clause by clause consideration of the report of its Committee on Electoral Matters on the recommendations made on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. This is even as electronic transmission of election results formed major part of the recommendations in the report.
According to a copy of the report obtained by our correspondent, on page 45, a new subsection (3) was introduced into the 2022 Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, to put a check on manipulation of election results and ballot box snatching. The Section states that “INEC shall electronically transmit election results from each polling unit to IREV portal in real time and such transmission shall be done simultaneously with physical collation of results”.
Also, a new subsection 2 was introduced to Section 77 to make the offence of failure of Presiding Officers to sign and stamp ballot papers and results announced by them, a punishable offence. Sections 47(2) and (3) were also amended by substituting the words “smart card reader” with the words “Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.”
Similarly, the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters in its report, amended Section 54(1) to check abuse of electoral process by those who take advantage of visually impaired and incapacitated voters by barring any political party agent, candidate or official from accompanying such voters into voting compartment. The committee recommended further for more stringent measures against buying and selling of voters’ cards by agents of political parties by increasing the N500,000 fine in section 22 to N5 million.
Akpabio in his remarks appealed to the senators to study copies of the report given to them ahead of final consideration and approval. However, rather than consider the report, the Senate, on January 29, constituted a special committee to review and harmonise different views by stakeholders on the amendment of the Electoral Act 2022, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral framework.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, Senator Niyi Adegbonmire, was announced as the chairman of the special committee, with Senators Adamu Aleiro, Waziri Tambuwal, Adams Oshiomhole, Muhammed Goje, Tony Nwoye and Titus Zam as members.
The Senate resolved to set up the special committee following over two hours of a closed-door session by the lawmakers, after which the committee was mandated to conclude its assignment within 48 hours and submit its report ahead of the next plenary session Speaking on the mandate of the committee, the Senate said that the amendment of the Electoral Act is aimed at reforming the nation’s electoral process by enhancing transparency, boosting voter confidence and promoting wider participation in elections.
Senate to pass 2026 budget on March 17
Another major issue being addressed by the Senate is the N58.472 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill, which the chamber tentatively fixed for March 17, 2026, for consideration and passage.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations disclosed this plan, while holding a special session on the money bil. Reeling out the timetable for the 2026 budget passage process, the chairman of the committee, Solomon Adeola (Ogun West), said that the panel had fixed February 9 for public hearing on the budget proposal. He also disclosed that a professor of Economics at the University of Lagos, Wasiu Adeoye, will present a paper on the money bill.
He further revealed that March 5, has been fixed for an interactive session between members of the committee and economic managers of the Federal Government such as the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, among others.
The lawmaker also noted that February 16 and 23, were fixed for submission of reports on budget defence by the various committee chairmen for presentation of reports by the committee to the Senate on March 17.
He also informed members of the committee that the Senate wanted the budget passed on March 12, before he convinced the leadership for additional one week. Senator Adeola stressed that for meticulous scrutiny and consideration of the budget estimates, hard copies of the budget has been printed for chairmen and members of the various standing committee.
Part of Adeola’s presentation reads: “Budget hearing and engagement with MDAs will start on Monday, February 2nd to Friday, February 13, where all sub-committee chairmen invited all relevant MDAs across the board for discussion and presentation of the 2026 budget to the Appropriations Committee.
“Submission and defence of budget report by sub-committee that will start on February 16 and end by February 23, while the collation and harmonization of report by Appropriations Committee starts on February 24 to March 17. One main issue I want us to look at is on that last point that I’ve raised because we should consider that you have to go on Easter break and also I think it should be toward the end of Ramadan.
“We must make sure we work within the time and ensure that the budget is passed. And even though the leadership is asking for March 12 for the budget to be passed, because I know how tedious this job can be once we start, I tried to convince them that we should look at March 17 and 19, so that we can pass the budget.” After disclosing the timetable for the various processes leading to the budget passage, Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) moved a motion for its adoption and seconded by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), and the committee unanimously adopted the timetable.
