ABUJA — The Nigerian Senate has scheduled an emergency plenary session for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, following a surge of public criticism over its recent legislative actions.
The directive was contained in a memo issued on Sunday by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, on the instructions of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The session, set to commence at 12:00 PM, comes at a time of heightened national tension over electoral reforms and a sudden spike in living costs.
Ndume slams ‘discriminatory’ electricity hike
The emergency sitting follows an emotional outburst from Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South), who has emerged as a leading voice against the recent hike in electricity tariffs. In a widely circulated video from the Senate floor, Ndume resisted attempts to silence him, declaring:
“Don’t tell me to sit down, the people are suffering. There is a sudden hike in the electricity tariff… the whole Band A, B, C system is discrimination and it is against the constitution.”
Ndume criticized the Minister of Power for acting “as if he owns the company” and warned that Nigerians are already grappling with high inflation and the effects of fuel subsidy removal. He argued that the National Assembly was not properly consulted before the “astronomical” increase was implemented.
Electoral bill controversy
Beyond power costs, the Senate is facing a firestorm over the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026. Lawmakers recently voted down a clause that would have made the real-time electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal mandatory.
Critics, including civil society groups and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), have labeled the move a “setback for democracy,” fearing it leaves the 2027 elections vulnerable to manipulation.
Key legislative reforms in the 2026 bill
Despite the friction, several other changes have been approved:
- BVAS Legalization: The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System has officially replaced manual card readers.
- Notice of Election: The window for INEC to announce election dates has been reduced from 360 to 180 days.
- PVC Offenses: Fines for the illegal trade of Permanent Voter Cards have been hiked to ₦5 million.
- Candidate Filing: Parties now have only 90 days before an election to submit final candidate lists.
The Senate had originally adjourned until February 24 for budget defense sessions. This unexpected return suggests a potential move to address the “mounting public backlash” and synchronize the bill with the House of Representatives.
