The Senate and House of Representatives has passed the harmonised version of the Electoral Act, Amendment Bill, 2021 at separate sittings, following the consideration of the report of the Conference Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives. It was reported that both Chambers approved direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions in all political parties.

The National Assemble also permitted the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to determine the procedure for voting and reliance on electronic transmission of results during an election.

It would be recalled that the President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan had on October 13 constituted a seven-man conference committee to meet with their counterparts in the House to synchronize the differences in the Senate and House versions of the bill.

Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi, who chaired the Committee in the Senate, while presenting his the report, said the bill when passed and assented into law by the President, would regulate the conduct of election in federal, state and area councils in the Federal Capital Territory, FTC.

Also, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, told reporters that with the passage of the Bill, the parliament had done its part in giving Nigerians a legal framework for credible elections in 2023.