The Senate on Thursday suspended further deliberation on the proposed amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act after a tense debate exposed sharp divisions among lawmakers over the extent and clarity of the proposed reforms.

This is 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 attached for circulation.

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 hit a procedural dead end when lawmakers discovered that the text of the proposed amendments was missing.

The controversy deepened after it emerged that the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters had already conducted a public hearing on the bill, even though it had not been read for the second time — a clear departure from parliamentary norms.

“It’s like holding a town hall on a law that doesn’t yet exist,” one senator murmured off record, as the chamber briefly lapsed into animated side-talk.

Presiding initially, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin downplayed the omission, suggesting that senators could proceed by debating only the “general principles” of the proposed amendment.

“The nitty-gritty of the bill is not necessary at this stage,” Barau said.

“We are only to discuss its general principle before the second reading.”

But the relaxed stance did not sit well with several lawmakers, who questioned the wisdom of debating a document they had not seen.

However, when Akpabio took over to preside over the plenary and sensing the rising tension, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion that the bill be deferred to another legislative day, citing the need for further consultation and procedural clarity.

“Mr. President and distinguished colleagues, the time today is not auspicious for us to proceed,” Bamidele said. “There is a need for further consultation before we can move forward — especially as the text is not before us. It is not mature for debate.”

The motion was promptly seconded by the Minority Leader Abba Moro who agreed that the matter required deeper engagement.

“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, I support the motion moved by the Senate Leader that we step down this bill for another legislative day for further consultations. I so second,” he said.

When Akpabio took over from his deputy, he overruled the earlier position, insisting that the Senate could not deliberate on a “phantom bill.”

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

He thereafter ruled that the Electoral Act Amendment Bill be stepped down “in view of the Senate’s loaded program and the need for wider consultation to align the reforms with the desires of Nigerians and ensure effective electoral practices.”

The motion was carried unanimously.

Outside the chamber, murmurs continued over the committee’s decision to hold a public hearing on the unprocessed bill. Several lawmakers described the move as “premature” and “procedurally incorrect.”

“It’s like putting the cart before the horse,” another lawmaker quipped. “The Senate hasn’t even considered the bill; how then do you gather public opinions on it? That’s not how lawmaking works.”

A legislative aide familiar with the development hinted that the Senate leadership might quietly query the committee’s secretariat to prevent a repeat.

“Committees are meant to act on bills that have passed second reading,” the aide explained. “That’s when the Senate refers them for public input. Anything before that is out of order.”

Akpabio, while closing the matter, hinted that the leadership would revisit the procedural lapses.

“We must maintain the integrity of our legislative process,” he said. “The Nigerian people expect transparency, diligence, and order in how we make laws.”