The Senate on Thursday descended into procedural confusion after Senate President Godswill Akpabio overruled his deputy and ordered that the Electoral Act Amendment Bill be stepped down — following revelations that the document was not circulated to lawmakers.

The bill, which seeks to regulate the conduct of federal, state, and area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was listed for second reading but stalled after senators discovered that the text of the proposed amendments was missing.

It became controversial when it was discovered that the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters had already held a public hearing on the bill, even though it had not been read for the second time, a departure from parliamentary norms.

Presiding initially, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin suggested the chamber could still debate the “general principles” of the amendment, but several lawmakers opposed the idea, insisting it was improper to discuss a document they had not seen.

When Akpabio later took over the plenary, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved that the bill be deferred to another legislative day, citing the need for further consultation and procedural clarity — a motion seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro.

Ruling on the matter, Akpabio said the Senate could not deliberate on a “phantom bill.”

“This Senate will not discuss what it cannot see,” he declared. “You cannot debate a document that is not before you. We must be guided by procedure, not assumption.”

He subsequently ruled that the Electoral Act Amendment Bill be stepped down to allow for wider consultation and alignment with Nigerians’ expectations.

Outside the chamber, some lawmakers questioned the committee’s decision to hold a public hearing on a bill that had not passed second reading, describing it as “premature.”

The proposed Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2025 seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process by ensuring early release of INEC funds, clarifying electronic transmission of results, improving internal party democracy, and enforcing stricter penalties for electoral offenses.

Lead sponsor, Senator Simon Bako Lalong, described it as “a holistic reform package aimed at restoring public trust and strengthening INEC’s independence.”