The Senate is set to prioritise the review of the 1999 Constitution, amendments to the Electoral Act, and the consideration of the 2026 Appropriation Bill upon its full resumption from the Yuletide recess.
Although the Red Chamber is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, January 27, plenary proceedings are expected to be briefly suspended in honour of the late Senator Godiya Akwashiki, who passed away during the recess.
Sources disclosed that the Senate will adjourn shortly after its initial sitting and commence substantive legislative activities on the next legislative day. According to ranking lawmakers, three major national issues will dominate the Senate’s agenda: the report of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, and the passage of the 2026 Budget.
A senior legislator confirmed that the Constitution Review report, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, is ready for presentation, consideration, and passage. The lawmaker explained that the report was earlier stepped down due to the presentation of the budget before the recess.
Upon resumption, the Deputy Senate President is expected to formally lay the report before the Senate, after which the proposed bills will be considered clause by clause and passed, subject to the required constitutional majority.
On electoral reforms, the Senate is also expected to give urgent attention to amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections. Lawmakers say the urgency is due to the legal requirement for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue its Notice of Election and timetable at least 360 days before polling day.
The House of Representatives has already passed its version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, increasing pressure on the Senate to conclude its work promptly. Senate President Godswill Akpabio has previously assured Nigerians that all necessary amendments to the Electoral Act would be completed in good time ahead of the 2027 polls.
In addition to constitutional and electoral reforms, the Senate is expected to intensify work on the 2026 Appropriation Bill. Lawmakers say committee-level scrutiny, harmonisation of reports, and final passage will dominate legislative activities in the coming weeks to ensure the timely implementation of the 2026 fiscal plan.
