The Nigerian Senate has taken a significant step towards electoral reform as the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeking to reduce election costs and mandate same-day voting for all elective offices, passed second reading on Thursday.

Key Provisions of the Bill

1. Same-Day Elections for All Offices

The bill proposes that presidential, governorship, national assembly, and state assembly elections be conducted on the same day to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Sponsor of the bill, Sen. Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central), argued that staggering elections leads to unnecessary expenses and security risks.

2. Reducing the Cost of Elections

Mustapha highlighted the rising financial burden of elections in Nigeria, citing that the cost had surged from N1.5 billion in 1999 to N350 billion in 2023.

He emphasized that same-day elections would significantly cut election expenses, allowing funds to be redirected to infrastructure projects and governance improvements.

3. Shorter Campaign Periods

The bill seeks to limit the duration of election campaigns, arguing that prolonged campaigns increase financial pressures on parties and candidates.

“A shorter campaign period will curb excessive spending and allow politicians to focus more on governance rather than electioneering,” Mustapha noted.

4. Adhoc Delegate Rights for Elected Officials

The bill also seeks to grant the President, Vice President, Governors, and National Assembly members the right to serve as adhoc delegates at their party conventions.

Mustapha argued that excluding elected officials from party decision-making processes is unfair and counterproductive.

5. Global Best Practices

The senator cited successful models from democracies such as the United States, India, and Brazil, where same-day elections have proven to reduce costs and improve electoral efficiency.

“Nigeria must adopt a similar approach to save funds that can be redirected to critical infrastructure projects,” he urged.

Mixed Reactions in the Senate

While the bill received broad support, some lawmakers expressed concerns over INEC’s ability to conduct nationwide elections in a single day.

Sen. Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) warned against rushing the reforms without ensuring INEC’s logistical readiness.

“The bill has good intentions, but we must ask: Is INEC equipped to conduct all elections in one day?” Oshiomhole queried.

He also raised concerns about multiple ballot papers confusing voters, particularly those with low literacy levels.

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has launched a Mass Advocacy and Sensitisation Campaign aimed at enrolling at least one million workers annually into the Employee Compensation Scheme (ECS).

Speaking at the campaign launch in Abuja, NSITF Managing Director, Oluwaseun Faleye, decried the widespread ignorance and non-compliance by many Nigerian employers and corporate organizations regarding the ECS.

Targeting the Informal Sector

Recognizing that 70% of Nigeria’s workforce operates in the informal sector, Faleye stated that the NSITF is now expanding its coverage to include these workers under the social security protection framework of the ECS.

“Many Nigerians, especially in the informal sector, are unaware of their rights under the Employee Compensation Scheme. We are rolling out new initiatives to ensure small and medium businesses, transport workers, and other informal sector participants benefit from compensation protection,” he said.

Challenges in Compliance and Enforcement

Faleye highlighted several obstacles affecting the scheme’s effectiveness:

1. Employer Manipulation: Some employers collude with workers to underreport salaries or declare fewer employees, thereby reducing their contributions to the NSITF.

2. Limited Enforcement Powers: NSITF officials face resistance during workplace inspections, with some employers blocking access to facilities, making it difficult to assess safety compliance.

3. Workers Undermining Their Own Protection: Employees, particularly accountants, finance directors, and payroll officers, sometimes assist employers in falsifying salary records, which ultimately reduces their entitlement to compensation in case of workplace accidents.

Faleye’s Warning to Workers

The NSITF boss warned employees against shortchanging themselves, stressing that compensation is strictly based on declared earnings.

“When accidents happen—and we pray they don’t—compensation is calculated based on the reported salary. If you undervalue your earnings, you receive far less than you should. Employees must stop enabling their own exploitation,” he cautioned.

Engaging KPMG for e-NSITF Review

Meanwhile, the NSITF has engaged KPMG to conduct an independent review of the stalled N15 billion e-NSITF digitalization project.

The e-NSITF project, launched in 2022, was aimed at upgrading the Fund’s digital infrastructure, but it has faced significant setbacks.

In 2023, the federal government approved the second phase of the project, but concerns over contract execution and accountability led to the current review.

Faleye assured that the new NSITF leadership is committed to transparency and efficiency, stating that KPMG will assess the contractor’s performance against the original project scope.

Way Forward

Faleye emphasized that beyond enforcement, public awareness and trust-building are crucial to increasing compliance.

“Every time we explain what NSITF stands for, perception and attitudes change. Our biggest challenge is a lack of awareness, and we are committed to bridging that gap,” he said.

He reaffirmed that the NSITF is working to strengthen its enforcement mechanisms, advocating for greater powers to ensure that organizations comply with employee protection laws.

…Tinubu Saved Rivers State From Political Anarchy

Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tony Okocha, has described the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors to challenge the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State at the Supreme Court as a welcome development that will enrich Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

Speaking at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, Okocha emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to impose emergency rule in Rivers was necessary to prevent the state from descending into complete political anarchy.

He argued that without the intervention, Rivers residents would have been forced to live in constant fear due to escalating violence.

“I want to say to you that the State of Emergency called by Mr. President saved Rivers State from anarchy. Indeed, people like us could barely, hardly leave certain places where we hid for fear of the unknown. When you see non-state actors brandishing guns and making statements tailored toward anarchy and lawlessness, then you should know that there is a looming crisis,” Okocha said.

Judicial Precedent on Emergency Rule

Okocha welcomed the PDP governors’ decision to seek judicial interpretation, saying it would provide much-needed legal clarity on the suspension of the governor and Assembly members.

“What some people now say is that the suspension of the governor and Assembly members is wrong. Thank God that I hear that the PDP Governors’ Forum is approaching the Supreme Court. I’m sure you know that there has been no legislation whatsoever on the matter.

“Now that they have gone to the Supreme Court, whatever the outcome is, it will enrich our jurisprudence. I don’t want to take on individuals, but I hear the NBA has come out to say, ‘Oh, it’s an affront on democracy’ and all that.

“But when the Assembly Complex was pulled down, when it was bombed and equipment were destroyed, the NBA was alive, yet we didn’t hear anything from them. So one wonders why there is so much talk now. It’s good that they are approaching the court, and we should allow the Supreme Court to decide on the actions of Mr. President.”

Restoring Security and Order in Rivers

Defending the emergency rule, Okocha described it as a “necessary evil” to restore normalcy to Rivers State.

“With the emergency declared, security and intelligence have been beefed up in Rivers. People like us, who are in the opposition in the state, can now move around freely,” he added.

The Rivers political crisis has continued to generate debate, with different stakeholders offering varying perspectives on the legality and necessity of the emergency rule. The Supreme Court’s ruling on the matter is expected to set a legal precedent for similar situations in the future.