NEWS
2027 Elections: Senate Leader Bamidele Rejects Electoral Act Amendment Before Polls, Says Timing Could Fuel Distrust
…says “Any Amendment To Electoral Act 2026 Must Come After 2027 Elections“
The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has ruled out any amendment to the 2026 Electoral Act before the conduct of the 2027 general elections, warning that altering the electoral framework close to a major election could deepen suspicion and create further uncertainty in the political space.
Bamidele made the position known during an interview with ThisDay, where he addressed issues surrounding the 10th National Assembly, electoral reforms, and other pressing national matters.
The Ekiti State lawmaker explained that while some members of the Senate had advocated for fresh amendments to the Electoral Act following recent court decisions, he declined to support the move, arguing that changing election laws shortly before the polls could affect confidence in the process.
He stressed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is already facing intense pressure from political parties, candidates, and other stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that any review of the law should be considered after the elections.
According to him, the democratic process requires clear separation of responsibilities among the legislature, executive, and judiciary, with each arm playing its constitutional role.
“I will be candid. I personally listened to a former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Ighini analysing the 2026 Electoral Act on one occasion. While he made some valid points, some of his conclusions demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of the legislative intent behind several of the provisions he was criticising.
“That is part of the beauty of our democratic system and the principle of separation of powers. We make the law as the legislature. The President assents to the law or withholds assent.
“The judiciary interprets the law and determines its validity. If the courts have chosen to strike down certain parts of the INEC Guidelines for Election. So be it. Within the framework of competent judicial authority, that is how the system is supposed to work.
“When some of my colleagues suggested we should return to the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act in the immediate aftermath of those rulings, I declined to support that course of action.
“I was not going to participate in amending an electoral law as the Leader of the Senate days before primaries or months before a general election, in the middle of an atmosphere where every party is accusing the other of manipulating the process and INEC is under enormous pressure from all sides.
“Any amendment to the Electoral Act, 2026 must come after the elections have been concluded. It must come with the explicit caveat that no amendment can have retroactive effect on elections already held. That is my firm position,” he declared during the interview.
The Senate Leader’s comments come amid ongoing national discussions on electoral reforms, judicial interpretations of election guidelines, and concerns over ensuring stability and credibility in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Bamidele maintained that while electoral laws can always be improved, such changes must be carefully timed to avoid creating unnecessary controversies or perceptions of political interference ahead of a major national exercise.