A chaotic session erupted in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, as lawmakers fiercely debated the legal powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to oversee the internal activities of political parties.
Debate Erupts Over Legal Authority
The commotion began when Honourable Peter Uzokwe of the Young Peoples Party (YPP), representing Anambra State, raised a matter of personal explanation. He urged the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, to direct the House's attention to specific provisions in the Electoral Act. Uzokwe argued that the law does not explicitly grant INEC the authority to monitor party conventions, congresses, and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings.
As Uzokwe attempted to read Section 82(1) of the Act to substantiate his claim, Speaker Tajudeen interjected. The Speaker reminded the chamber that a process to amend the Electoral Act was already underway. He revealed that a joint session with the Senate to review all clauses was scheduled for the following week.
"My appeal is that we suspend discussions on electoral matters until the amendment proposals are tabled," the Speaker stated, emphasizing that the upcoming session would address all defective areas of the current law.
Lawmakers Clash as Speaker Appeals for Calm
Uzokwe, however, stood his ground, insisting that his point concerned the interpretation of an existing law, not a proposed amendment. He warned that misinterpretations of INEC's powers were creating wrong impressions outside the National Assembly.
His persistence triggered a series of interventions. Honourable Felix Nwaeke (PDP, Rivers) raised a point of order, contending that the matter was controversial and therefore could not be entertained under Order 8, Rule 6, which is reserved for non-controversial personal explanations.
The Speaker countered that it was within his prerogative to determine what qualifies as controversial but reiterated his appeal for patience. The situation grew more disorderly when Kabiru Mai-Palace argued that Uzokwe's motion was not a personal matter and should not have been allowed under that rule.
Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi (LP, Lagos) also contributed, citing Section 4 of the Constitution to argue that the House, as the maker and protector of the law, had a responsibility to hear out a member raising a legal matter.
Despite the mounting pressure, Speaker Tajudeen maintained that the discussion should be deferred until the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presents the consolidated Electoral Act amendment proposals. After over 15 minutes of a rowdy session, filled with repeated calls for "order," the Speaker managed to restore calm and return the House to its scheduled business of presenting 28 bills.
INEC Declares BVAS a Success in Ending Impersonation
While the legislature was embroiled in debate, the electoral umpire was making a significant announcement in the technology sector. The INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, declared that the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has effectively solved the long-standing challenge of voter impersonation in Nigerian elections.
Amupitan made this declaration at the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibitions in Abuja, organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Represented by the National Commissioner, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the INEC boss delivered a keynote address to a diverse audience of tech innovators, policymakers, and civil society actors.
"The BVAS has become our frontline defence against identity fraud, ensuring that only the rightful, eligible voter can be accredited at the polling unit," Amupitan stated. "With the biometric safeguards now in place, voter impersonation has been effectively eliminated from our electoral system."
He backed this assertion with data from the recently concluded Anambra governorship election. According to the INEC chairman, 6,879 BVAS devices were configured and deployed for the polls, recording a highly commendable performance.
He further revealed that over 99 per cent of polling unit results were successfully uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal on Election Day itself. "These outcomes confirm that the deployment of BVAS and IReV is no longer experimental but an entrenched part of Nigeria’s electoral architecture," Amupitan, a 2004 University of Iowa Fulbright visiting scholar, told the gathering. "The figure announced at the polling units is the same figure visible to the public. Technology has safeguarded the vote."
