The Nigerian Senate has ruled out any immediate review or amendment of the Electoral Act 2026, saying the legislation will remain the legal framework for the 2027 general elections.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH, amid renewed debate over some provisions of the electoral law following a recent Supreme Court judgment.

Adaramodu said the National Assembly had completed the electoral reform process and that lawmakers would not alter the rules while preparations for the 2027 elections were already underway.

He said any request for further amendments could be considered after the 2027 elections if there was a need for changes based on experience with the law.

“We have already done the electoral reform and passed that one. It is meant for the 2027 elections. It is only after it that we can consider it for a review if there is any necessity or calls for amendments and rejigging,” Adaramodu said.

The senator said the Electoral Act had already been passed by the National Assembly, assented to by President Bola Tinubu and put into use by political parties and electoral authorities.

He argued that changing the legislation at this stage could create uncertainty for political parties that had already commenced processes leading to the 2027 elections.

The Electoral Act 2026 repealed and replaced the Electoral Act 2022. President Tinubu signed the new legislation into law on February 18, 2026, following its passage by the National Assembly.

The law introduced several changes to Nigeria’s electoral framework, including provisions relating to electronic transmission of results, the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, political party regulation and the funding of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Senate’s latest position also comes shortly after the Supreme Court restored several provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 that had been struck down by the Court of Appeal.

The apex court restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2), which concern issues including political party membership registers, participation in party primaries and methods of candidate nomination.

The Supreme Court’s decision followed an appeal against the Court of Appeal’s earlier judgment declaring the provisions unconstitutional. The seven-member Supreme Court panel subsequently held that the disputed provisions were not inconsistent with the Constitution.

The ruling generated fresh questions about how the restored provisions could affect political parties and candidates preparing for the 2027 elections.

However, the Senate has maintained that the electoral framework should not be changed in the middle of the electoral cycle.

The position is consistent with an earlier statement by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who said in June that any further assessment of the Electoral Act should be based on the experience of the 2026 Ekiti governorship election and other elections conducted under the new law, with possible amendments considered after the 2027 general elections.

With the Senate now ruling out a pre-2027 review, the Electoral Act 2026 is expected to remain the principal legal framework governing the conduct of the next general elections unless circumstances lead to a change in that position.