The Senate has commenced moves to impose stiffer penalties on vote buying and other electoral offences ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this in a statement on Monday to mark the resumption of plenary by the 10th National Assembly, saying the proposals are embedded in the Electoral Bill 2025, currently before the legislature.

According to Bamidele, the bill prescribes sanctions ranging from a ₦5 million fine to a two-year jail term, in addition to a 10-year ban from contesting elections for individuals found guilty of vote buying.

He added that the proposed legislation recommends mandatory custodial sentences and higher financial penalties for grave electoral offences such as result falsification, obstruction of election officials and related infractions.

The Senate Leader said the reforms are targeted at curbing impunity and restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

He further revealed that the bill introduces electronically generated voter identification, including a downloadable voter card embedded with a unique QR code, to enhance transparency and accountability.

Under the proposal, presiding officers would be mandated to electronically transmit polling unit results, including the total number of accredited voters, to reduce manipulation and human interference.

Bamidele also said the bill seeks to standardise delegates for indirect primaries, effectively preventing party leaders from unilaterally determining delegate lists and criteria.

He disclosed that the Committees on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in both chambers of the National Assembly would soon submit their reports for clause-by-clause consideration.

According to him, the reforms are designed to guarantee credible, transparent and secure elections, beginning with the 2027 polls.

Bamidele said the next 16 months would be demanding for lawmakers, with renewed focus on electoral reforms, governance restructuring and constitutional amendments.

He added that the Senate would also devote significant attention to the 2026 Appropriation Bill, presented by President Bola Tinubu to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 18, 2025.

“The proposal is critical to economic growth, stability and prosperity, both in the short and long term,” he said.

The Senate Leader noted that the recently enacted Tax Reform Act 2025 has recalibrated Nigeria’s fiscal framework by easing the tax burden on low-income earners while expanding contributions from high-income brackets.

“With these fiscal reforms, we are confident that funding the budget will be more sustainable and that the budget deficit will progressively shrink,” he said.

On constitutional review, Bamidele said the exercise has reached an advanced stage, with technical sessions and public hearings concluded.

He said the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who chairs the Constitution Review Committee, would soon present the final report to the Senate, noting that approval by at least two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly would be required for final enactment.

“At the end of it all, good governance, improved security and the welfare of Nigerians will remain our foremost priorities,” Bamidele said.