SAN warns repeated postponements could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has criticised the Nigerian Senate over what he described as unnecessary delays in passing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

Falana warned that the continued postponement of the bill could compromise the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

He made this known during an interview in which he expressed frustration over the Senate’s decision to set up another committee to review the bill—despite the House of Representatives having already passed it in December 2025.

According to Falana, the move is unnecessary and appears aimed at preserving the status quo rather than addressing critical electoral reforms.

In his words:

“From the conduct of both chambers of the National Assembly, it is very clear that the members simply want the status quo retained. The act is meant to give Nigerians the impression that the proposed Electoral Act is being addressed.”

The Electoral Act Amendment Bill seeks to introduce key reforms to Nigeria’s electoral framework. These include provisions for the electronic transmission of election results, stricter penalties for vote-buying, voting rights for inmates, and sanctions against party delegates who are financially induced to manipulate party primaries.

Falana noted that the proposed amendments would address long-standing gaps in the electoral system, stressing that lawmakers often focus on changes already covered by existing laws while failing to ensure effective enforcement of electoral provisions.

Beyond electoral matters, Falana also spoke on the prosecution of alleged military coup plotters, stating that only the Federal High Court has the constitutional authority to try treason-related offences.