3 Things That Can Still Happen Before Tinubu Signs the Electoral Bill

Members of the Joint National Assembly Conference Committee, set up to resolve the differences between the Senate and House versions of the Electoral Amendment Bill, are expected to meet on Monday.

The move to harmonise the bill follows the Senate and the House passing separate versions, with key differences in how technology should be used for result collation and transmission.

Below are three key things that can still happen before the Electoral Bill is signed.

1) Committee meeting

The House of Representatives and the Senate can pass the same bill but with different wording. Sometimes the differences are small, like a phrase or a definition. At other times, the differences address major issues Nigerians care about, including what is permitted, what is prohibited, and the powers granted to the electoral commission.

That is why a committee meeting is needed. This is where lawmakers from both chambers meet, compare their versions, and agree on a single text. People often call it harmonisation, but the basic idea is that they must resolve the differences.

This meeting can still change the bill. A clause can be removed. A sentence can be rewritten to weaken or strengthen its effect. A sensitive part can be adjusted to appear balanced, even if the public expects it to be stronger. Until this committee work is complete, the bill’s final content is not yet finalised.

2) The final version is prepared

Once the committee agrees, the bill must still be prepared as a single, complete document. This step may look like paperwork, but it matters. A law must be clear and properly arranged, or it can create loopholes and confusion later.

At this stage, the final copy is carefully drafted to resolve contradictions, correct numbering, and ensure sections do not overlap. If a term is used in one part of the bill, it must mean the same thing everywhere else. If the bill refers to another section or law, it must reference it correctly. These details matter because election disputes often end up in court, and courts focus on exact wording.

This is the stage where the bill becomes a single official text that can be presented as the final Electoral Bill, not two competing versions.

3) Sent to Tinubu for signing

Once the final version is ready, it still has to undergo formal procedures in the National Assembly. The committee report is presented, and both chambers must accept it as the final agreement. If lawmakers raise new objections at this point, the process could slow. They may debate it, insist on changes, or send it back for more work.

Once fully adopted, the final document is transmitted to the President for assent. This is the point at which the process shifts from lawmakers to the Presidency. From there, the President can sign it into law or refuse assent and return it with reasons.

The key point is simple. Until the final version is properly approved and officially sent, the President cannot sign what has not been presented as the agreed final text. Delays in approval or transmission can also delay signing.