The Senate has created a 12-member conference committee to work with the House of Representatives on harmonizing the Electoral Amendment Bill after tensions over a key clause.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the list during an emergency plenary, stressing the urgency of concluding the process quickly so the bill can be ready for presidential assent within February.
He said the number of nominees was increased from nine to 12 after consultations with Senate leadership and urged the lawmakers to finish their task within days.
The panel is chaired by Senator Simon Lalong and includes Senators Orji Uzor Kalu, Tahir Mungono, Adamu Aliero, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Iya Abbas, Tokunbo Abiru, Niyi Adegbonmire (SAN), Jibrin Isah, Ipalibo Banigo and Onyekachi Nwebonyi.
Akpabio said once the committee concludes its work, the final version will be sent to President Bola Tinubu for assent before the end of the month.
The decision followed a heated session triggered by an attempt to revisit an earlier approval of Clause 60(3) of the bill.
The controversy began when the Senate Chief Whip raised a motion seeking to rescind the chamber’s earlier decision on the clause, citing provisions of the Senate rules.
The move drew immediate resistance from several senators who raised procedural objections as voices rose across the chamber.
Tension deepened when the wording of the clause was read without the phrase “real-time,” and the term “transmission” was reportedly replaced with “transfer.”
One senator strongly challenged the alteration, repeatedly raising points of order as the disagreement intensified.
The original committee report states that the clause requires presiding officers to electronically transmit polling unit results to the electoral portal in real time after completing and signing the required forms.
At the peak of the dispute, a call was made for a formal division of the Senate in line with standing rules.
The formation of the conference committee is expected to resolve the differences between both chambers and produce a unified version of the amendment bill.