Senate Rejects Controversial Bill on Lawmakers’ Replacement, Allegations of Executive Influence Surface

The Senate faced a contentious session on Tuesday as it rejected a bill aimed at allowing political parties to nominate and replace members in the National and State Assemblies. The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act, 2022,” was sponsored by Senator Karimi Sunday of the APC, representing Kogi West.

Introduced on October 26, 2023, the bill sought to empower political parties to nominate and replace elected candidates in the event of resignation, death, or seat vacancy. However, as the bill came up for discussion, a majority of Senators vehemently opposed it, leading to its rejection.

Senator Karimi Sunday clarified that the intent was to amend the Electoral Act to streamline the process of filling vacancies in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly without the need for costly by-elections. He argued, “Why are we wasting money conducting a fresh election when we can use that money for infrastructural development?”

Trouble ensued as doubts were raised about the bill’s validity, with some Senators asserting that they had not received a copy of the lead debater’s paper. President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, offered Senator Karimi the option to withdraw or amend the bill, but both offers were declined. The bill was eventually stepped down following a voice vote.

Critics within the Senate raised concerns that the bill could undermine the independence of the legislature. Some lawmakers expressed fears that if enacted, the Executive branch could exploit the legislation to replace unfavorable lawmakers through political party nominations, potentially compromising the democratic process.

The rejection of this bill underscores the deep divisions and suspicions within the Senate regarding the potential ramifications of such legislative changes. As discussions continue, the spotlight remains on the delicate balance between streamlining processes and safeguarding the integrity of the legislative branch.