Title: Electoral Act Battle Intensifies as NASS Harmonisation Talks Collapse Date Published: 16 February 2026 Description: Efforts by the National Assembly to harmonise contentious provisions of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026, stalled on Monday after the Conference Committee meeting ended in a deadlock, just hours before a decisive plenary session.Findings revealed that the much-anticipated harmonisation meeting, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the Senate President’s Conference Room 3.01, failed to hold due to the absence of key members, particularly lawmakers from the House of Representatives.A senior member of the committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, dismissed suggestions of any progress. “How can there be a conclusion when the meeting did not even take place?” the lawmaker said tersely before declining further comment.Delays, absences and closed-door consultationsSome Senators arrived at the venue at the appointed time and waited, but neither the Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Simon Bako Lalong, nor his House counterpart, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, was initially present. No House members showed up at the meeting venue.After a brief wait, the Senators moved to Senator Lalong’s office and later agreed to reschedule the meeting for 3:00 p.m. By 3:30 p.m., a few Senators, including Jibrin Isah, Abba Moro and Tahir Monguno, had taken their seats, but again, no House members appeared.Senator Lalong eventually arrived around 4:00 p.m., followed shortly by Hon. Balogun—still without other House committee members. Both leaders held a closed-door discussion lasting about 10 minutes before dispersing, effectively ending the day without any harmonised position.Sources disclosed that a last-minute, late-night meeting outside the National Assembly complex was being considered as a final attempt to bridge differences ahead of Tuesday’s plenary.Clause 60(3) remains flashpointAccording to the harmonisation matrix, the committee is expected to reconcile differences on 20 clauses, as well as the bill’s explanatory memorandum and long title. The major sticking point remains Clause 60(3), which deals with electronic transmission of election results.The House version mandates real-time electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission IReV portal. However, the Senate amended the clause on February 4, 2026, removing the words “real-time” and opting for a more flexible framework that allows electronic transmission but with discretion on implementation.The Senate’s amendment has triggered nationwide protests, including the #OccupyNASS demonstration in Abuja, as well as threats of industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress if real-time transmission is not entrenched in the final law.Defending the Senate’s stance earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said lawmakers must proceed cautiously. “We don’t do things on impulse. It has to be painstakingly done so that flaws do not undermine public trust in the system,” he said.High-level committee, high stakesBoth chambers had constituted 12-member Conference Committees to resolve the differences, a constitutional step required before transmitting the bill to Bola Tinubu for assent.The Senate delegation, appointed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is chaired by Senator Lalong, while the House team is led by Hon. Balogun.All eyes on Tuesday’s plenaryMeanwhile, the Senate has formally notified members of a plenary session scheduled for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the Senate Chamber. The notice, signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, said “very crucial decisions” would be taken.With the harmonisation committee yet to conclude its work and public pressure mounting ahead of the 2027 general elections, Tuesday’s session is expected to determine whether Nigeria’s new Electoral Act will mandate real-time electronic transmission of results or adopt the Senate’s flexible alternative.For now, Monday’s failed meeting has only deepened suspense in what has become one of the most fiercely contested legislative battles in recent years. Attached Images: e05cf81f3bef885d1029cf7e23c4581c4e7d1bf1300d6afba57736dfb662b349.jpg Attached Video: None