The House of Representatives has constituted a bipartisan Conference Committee on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill to harmonise areas of difference between the versions of the bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the spokesman of the House, Akin Rotimi.
He said the development was conveyed in an internal correspondence from the Clerk to the House of Representatives, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, following the directive of the House leadership.
According to the statement, the committee is chaired by Rep. Adebayo Balogun, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters with Reps. Fred Agbedi, Sada Soli, Ahmadu Jaha, Iduma Igariwey Enwo, Saidu Musa Abdullahi, and Dr. Zainab Gimba as members.
The conference committee is mandated to engage with its counterpart from the Senate to reconcile the differing provisions in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, with a view to producing a harmonised version for final passage by the National Assembly.
The House of Representatives reaffirmed its commitment to advancing electoral reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, credibility and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Daily Trust reports that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio had on Wednesday named members of the conference committee to work alongside the House of Representatives for the harmonisation of the electoral bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.
Akpabio said the committee will be chaired by Senator Simon Bako Lalong.
Other members of the committee include senators Niyi Adegbonmire, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Abbas and Tokunbo Abiru.
